PROBLEMS with car cruisers, who plague many towns in Gwent with noise and nuisance behaviour, have spread to Abergavenny.

Now police in the town plan a crackdown - after a similar scheme in Blackwood proved a big success.

Complaints about car cruisers, who anger residents by driving too fast, revving their engines or playing loud music, are on the increase across Gwent.

In Abergavenny, Inspector Allyn Richards said officers had received so many complaints that the cruisers had moved from the category of motoring offences and into the category of being a major nuisance to residents.

"This means they are now committing an arrestable offence by racing round town, revving their engines and slamming car doors, and the maximum penalty is six months in jail," he said.

The young motorists, who have been dubbed "boy racers", hold meetings on a regular basis in the car park at Abergavenny bus station.

But the gatherings are causing a headache for locals, who have appealed to police to stop the cruisers meeting there.

Inspector Richards added: "They are now in the same category as yobs around the town because they are creating as much nuisance, in fact we have had more complaints about them.

"Our message to them all is, watch out, your actions will not be tolerated."

He added that a similar clampdown had been successful in Blackwood, which has been plagued by problems with cruisers for many years.

Police there introduced new measures in August in a bid to prevent the car cruisers affecting the quality of residents' lives.

Inspector Heather Jones told the Argus she would like to take a strong line with the cruisers. There were increased patrols on the streets, and cruisers were given a "last chance" written warning if they were causing a public nuisance.

PC Sandra Evans, crime and disorder reduction officer for Blackwood police, said yesterday the car cruiser situation was still being monitored in Blackwood and increased patrols were continuing.