Gallery: Joyriders hold illegal late-night racing session at Essex dirt track

JOYRIDERS have torn up a Henham dirt track in an illegal late-night racing session using stolen cars. Henham Raceway on Chickney Road regularly plays host to full-contact banger racing where experienced divers compete in a controlled environment. But earl

JOYRIDERS have torn up a Henham dirt track in an illegal late-night racing session using stolen cars.

Henham Raceway on Chickney Road regularly plays host to full-contact banger racing where experienced divers compete in a controlled environment.

But early on Thursday morning illegal racers smashed their way onto the track through iron gates and drove around the circuit before burning one of the cars and making their getaway.

One of the vehicles used was a red Citroen Xantia, worth about �370, which was stolen from Peaslands Road in Saffron Walden just after midnight.

Farmer Robert Frostick, who owns the race track land, said: "I discovered it the next day - the first thing I saw were the big iron gates, which I had only put up last summer, hanging off their hinges. They must have rammed them several times to get in because they are quite solid.

"One of the vehicles, a Citroen estate, had been burnt out and was still smoking when I found it. The other car, a Mazda, was stuck in the mud, but hadn't been burnt.

"Obviously there's damage to the gates, and to the surface of the track, but it won't disrupt any racing because the track isn't really used during the winter.

"The police told me that one of the cars had been stolen from Saffron Walden, but I don't know where the other one was from. Apparently police have found quite a few burnt out cars recently - I think it's kids doing it for fun."

Anyone with information about this incident or other car thefts which have happened in the town recently should contact Saffron Walden Police Station on 0300 333 4444 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.