A TERRIFIED waitress was too scared to leave work as boy racers turned the A456 into a high octane speedway.

Staff at the Badgers Sett pub have faced abuse from racers and guests in the adjacent Premier Inn have complained of sleep-disturbed nights.

The pub’s assistant manager Matt Williams said the problem had been ongoing for a couple of years, but had escalated over the last several weeks.

The car park is being used as a “pit stop” by turbo-charged tearaways who turn the dual carriageway into a race track, reaching speeds of around 90mph, on Sunday evenings.

“You take your life in your hands when you pull out of our car park and one member of staff who finished at 9pm was too scared to leave until midnight,” said Mr Williams.

The Premier Inn has also seen an increase in refunds given to guests under the company’s good night’s sleep guarantee when they have complained that traffic noise has kept them awake.

Several cars at a time congregate on the pub car park, as the drivers take a break from the run between the Wassell Lane roundabout and Hayley Green, where residents say they also park up outside the Spar shop.

Mr Williams said staff had been verbally abused by the drivers when told to leave and had been banned from using the pub toilets.

He described most of the cars as “old bangers” and some souped up vehicles such as Ford Escorts.

Residents say they have to put up with up to 50 cars at a time racing close to their homes – and some of the vehicles are high performance sports cars.

One resident, too scared to be named for fear of reprisals, said they had even spotted a Lamborghini.

She said: "Two weeks ago it was deafening and audiences of about 50 people have been coming to watch.

"People are fed up. In video footage filmed on Sunday night 21 cars race around the Wassell Grove island in less than one minute with normal traffic mixed in between the racers. It's an accident waiting to happen."

Residents claim West Mercia Police have fobbed off their repeated complaints and are demanding a greater police presence to deal with the problem.

Mr Williams said: “The police did seem reluctant at first and I understand they have other priorities and fewer officers on duty on Sunday nights, but they have come out, although it’s the length of time it takes them to get here.”

He said they arrived after about an hour on Sunday and after checking vehicles for roadworthiness and drivers’ details sent them on their way.

Inspector Sarah Corteen said the situation was being monitored.