BOY racers could soon be barred from after-hours visits to Malvern's Three Counties Retail Park.

Security gates are to be installed to prevent noisy gangs of youths with their revving engines, loud music and vandalism, near the late-opening McDonald's.

Residents in the area have been complaining for months about the nightly disturbances in Roman Way.

The nearby Beauchamp community for retired clergy has resorted to fitting secondary glazing to shut out the noise.

Agents Insignia Richard Ellis, acting for the owners of the park, have already installed speed bumps to deter the racers and have increased security in the service yard.

"We put in new security lighting, but the planners restricted the height to reduce the disturbance to neighbours and then the kids smashed them," said associate director Mark Grant.

"So then we had to replace them with vandal-proof lighting.

"It's as if we keep going forward, but with one hand tied behind our backs."

He said the cost of securing the site would amount to around £250,000 by the time they had put in gates and possibly CCTV cameras, with someone to lock up every day.

"It's a lot of money and the tenants are having to fork out for most of this. I know people get very frustrated because they want everything done straight away, but it's not as simple as that," he said.

"We have to get planning permission to put up barriers, we have a tenant owner with a right of way and we don't own the service road to Safeways," said Mr Grant.

McDonald's, which currently stays open until 11pm, had agreed to close at 10pm when the site is locked up, he added.

Mr Grant said he was disappointed that the solution had been left to the traders, despite their liaison with the police and Malvern Hills Environmental Health.

"There are two groups of little darlings - the 12-15-year-olds drinking alcopops and doing minor vandalism and the car-borne lot making nasty noises," he said.

He said he was grateful for the support of district councillor Rob Richards and West Worcestershire MP, Sir Michael Spicer.

Sir Michael, who met residents in August to discuss the problem, said he was delighted the owners had agreed to put up gates, which would be closed out of hours.