Fireworks thrown at police in street racing crackdown

Angry spectators bombarded police officers with fireworks during a crackdown on street racing in Birmingham.

The shocking scenes took place this weekend, as more than a dozen cars, including an Audi R8 supercar, were seized during a massive police operation against dangerous street racers.

Carrying out Operation Hercules, officers seized seven cars on Saturday while some spectators hurled fireworks at them.

In another shocking incident a mother-of-two was almost rammed off the road in Nechells.

She had just left the Star City cinema with her children and was nearly forced into the central reservation when she was caught in the middle of an illegal race.

On Sunday night police seized even more cars near to Bassetts Pole, in Sutton Coldfield, Nechells and Small Heath.

One man, driving a Ford Fiesta, received a telling off in the middle of a dual-carriageway after his mother found out about the police stop and turned up.

The man, in his 20s, was berated in Saltley’s A47 by his mum after his car was seized for speeding at twice the limit.

He will now be summoned to appear at Birmingham Magistrates.

In December West Midlands Police Chief Constable David Thompson said the region had the country’s biggest problem with illegal street racers and he described it as a priority area.

More than 50 vehicles had already been seized ahead of the weekend operation at illegal ‘car cruising’ events in recent months.

There have also been more than 200 prosecutions.

Twelve more street racing suspects are currently awaiting trial over car cruising charges.