Residents on Didcot's Ladygrove estate have won a major victory in their battle to lock out boy racers.

The lives of people living close to Ladygrove Park have been made a misery by young car drivers performing stunts and playing loud music into the early hours of the morning.

The park's car park, off Tyne Avenue, has become a hot spot for the boy racers' antics.

But following pleas from homeowners, Didcot Town Council, which owns the park, has now locked the car park - permanently.

The gates will only be opened to coincide with events at the park and when it is needed as an over-flow car park for Didcot Town Football Club.

Resident Nick Hadjirallis, who lives close to the park, has been calling for action for months.

The council told residents locking the gate on a nightly basis would be too costly.

So when Mr Hadjirallis and other residents met town council leader Margaret Davies at the park earlier this month they called for the gate to be bolted shut on a permanent basis.

He told the Oxford Mail the results had been immediate.

He added: "This should have been done back in May. It has cost the council nothing and you can hear a pin drop in the neighbourhood now.

"This was all common sense and the spin-off has been amazing. Locking the gate has done the trick and I am so happy."

Resident Ayden Jones, who also attended the park meeting, said he was happy with the progress so far and added he had seen an increased police presence at the park.

Mrs Davies said the meeting with residents had been constructive.

She added: "The gate was locked last Saturday and as far as I am aware it has generally been well received."

"The numbers using the car park on an ordinary day are very small. Most people are within walking or cycling distance."

Large traffic calming boulders have also been installed at the car park to help keep speeds down when it is opened.

The council is also considering further traffic calming measures on the approach road.

Other possible measures include removing rubble that has been thrown at windows from the surface of the car park and resurfacing the area with pea-shingle.

But Mrs Davies said the measures would not stop all the antisocial behaviour, teenage drinking and vandalism at the park.

She added: "This is the first step and may resolve some of the issues. There may be other steps that need to be taken."

She said the council would continue to work with the police to combat problems.