Police are stepping up their fight to stop "boy racers" disturbing residents in Eastbourne this summer.

Extra officers have been patrolling the Devonshire Place area after groups of illegal racers, known as cruisers, started meeting there in souped-up cars.

Eastbourne was a favourite haunt for the cruisers last year and police hope to deter them from returning to the resort this summer.

The cruisers caused such a disturbance in the town centre, it was agreed to allow them to meet monthly at the Lottbridge Drive industrial estate.

But the meets were stopped after some of the racers were caught carrying out dangerous stunts and police said it was only a matter of time before there was a serious accident.

Devonshire Road resident Mark Turrell, 38, said: "Weekends are quite tiresome when you've got these boy racer-types ripping up the road in front of your house at speed.

"My wife and myself have often called the police about them and to their credit they do help stop the problem. But they return time and again which is a real nuisance for myself and other neighbours."

Inspector Tim Mottram, from Eastbourne police, said: "Despite trying to deter them from the town, we still have a problem with boy racers.

"They are causing residents aggravation in Devonshire Park because it's a nice big area which attracts them.

"Obviously if others drive past and see them, the group will get bigger and bigger so we are keeping an eye on it and intend to nip the problem in the bud before too many residents are disturbed.

"If they just met up there wouldn't really be a problem but it's the isolated cases where stunts are carried out and neighbours are woken by screeching tyres."

Inspector Mottram said the police had tried to arrange for the cruisers to use the speedway track but they were not interested.