CAR fanatics who turn Bolton town centre into a race track are being warned to stay out of the town.

A number of town centre car parks have become magnets for young drivers on Thursday nights, when up to 300 vehicles descend on the town for meetings.

Enthusiasts swap information and compare modifications - but police say they are concerned about the activities of some drivers who play loud music, perform handbrake turns and race souped up cars along St Peter's Way.

Police will send out letters to the homes of more than 300 car owners across the North-west warning them their details have been added to a database.

Officers used automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras last Thursday night to gather details of cars spotted at the meetings, which are usually held at car parks in the Bow Street area.

Video units will be present at future meetings and drivers who are spotted driving recklessly after being warned will be forced to sign Acceptable Behaviour Contracts which could ban them from the meetings.

Traffic officers have also staged speed traps to catch motorists who flout speed limits on their way to the meetings.

Insp Maria Donaldson said: "These people are not welcome in Bolton.

"We view their behaviour to be anti-social and it is spilling on to the roads.

"They have so far shown a complete lack of safety with their driving and we don't want these meetings to be held in the town."

Council bosses say they will consider using barriers to keep the cars off car parks at night.

Previous meetings have seen the drivers, mostly young males, leave a trail of litter.

Unlicensed fast food stalls were also brought to one event.

Police say that they will carry out checks on vehicle safety and insurance. "We have drafted letters and they will be sent out within the next few days," added Insp Donaldson.

"We are working with the council to see how we can stop this from happening."

The meetings, which are organised on internet forums, began around 12 months ago and have begun to attract drivers of modified cars from across the North of England.

Ian Taylor, head of parking services at Bolton Council, said: "It's becoming a real nuisance for us.

"We are looking at ways of stopping them from getting on to the car parks.

"We don't want to close the car parks because they are also being used by shoppers."