Car enthusiasts who have been turning up in their hundreds to race along a Brighouse street were being stopped in their tracks last night.

Police closed Armytage Road in a bid to deter the drivers who pull hand brake turns and skids in the industrial estate.

Inspector Peter Brennand, Brighouse police's area commander, said: "This is just a short term thing until such a time as we get the co-operation of Calderdale Council to put in one or two road humps.

"It was not only the sheer numbers of people turning out, but also members of the public who were making it a carnival type atmosphere by lining the road. People were even bringing kids to watch and we were concerned about boy racers spinning off and running into the crowd - it got too big, so we took the radical step of closing the road."

The car rallies, which are believed to be organised on the Internet, were first reported by the Telegraph & Argus in December. In January, one man had his jaw broken when he was attacked by a gang who stole his rally car.

Insp Brennand said the main problem area has been around the British Car Auctions site which had led to complaints from several businesses.

He said last month as many as 1,000 young drivers turned up at the meet.

"There were actually very few from Brighouse - they seemed to come from other places across West Yorkshire," said Insp Brennand.

"The vehicles they are driving are pocket rockets - Citreons, Saxos, Peugeot 106s with lowered suspension, skirts and tuned engines.

"When we have positively policed it and checked the vehicle and the drivers, we came up with very little. There were certainly no stolen cars. But when we are not there, they are clearly racing at very high speeds and their presence causes problems."

He said the road would be closed each Sunday night for the next few weeks, when it was hoped the road humps - either temporary or permanent - would be added.

"Something will appear that will make the road less attractive that will slow cars down."