Car rallies, some involving illegal road racing, are still taking place every week in Brighouse despite police attempts to clamp down on them.

And new crime fears have been sparked following a violent robbery in which a man had his jaw broken by thieves who stole his rally car.

In December, the Telegraph & Argus reported that the police were turning people away from the rallies which were taking place every Sunday on land at Armytage Road Industrial Estate.

Officers became concerned about the numbers of people attending the rallies - sometimes as many as 200 - which are organised over the internet and by word-of-mouth.

On Sunday, at around 8pm, a 22-year-old man taking part had his jaw broken by robbers who punched him and stole his Subaru Impreza Turbo car.

Detective Sergeant Iain Exley, of Calderdale CID, said: "Traffic officers were sent to monitor the situation because there were reports that cars were being raced on the road, which is illegal and dangerous.

"Officers were going to go down there with a book of fixed-penalty tickets and a radar gun, but when the report of the robbery came in things dispersed."

DS Exley said the man who was robbed had only just arrived when the incident happened. "He was just chatting to his friend and was parked up on one of the approaches to the park when these people turned up and took his car," he said.

The man was taken to Calderdale Royal Infirmary and sent home after X-rays. He returned on Monday to see a specialist and has since had his jaw wired together. His car was located in Huddersfield

DS Exley said the rallies are still taking place, but at different locations.

"There is the potential for danger if they are racing around on a public road," he said. "We know of situations where cars have collided and turned over."

l Two men aged 18 and 20 were arrested in connection with taking a car without consent. They have been bailed.