HOMEOWNERS in Lydiate Ash have hit out at proposals to shatter the rural peace with the noise of motocross bikes.

West Midlands Youth and Adult Motocross Club Ltd has applied to Bromsgrove District Council to build a track and car park on a former landfill site in Wildmoor Lane, near the M5 junction at Lydiate Ash.

The motocross track would be about a mile from both the Lickey Hills and Waseley Hills Country Parks and a petition circulated among nearby residents says it will cause "appalling" noise pollution.

It claims the track will spoil the view from both parks and that it would disturb the nature conservation area in nearby Broadmore Wood.

The Bournville Village Trust, which is a major landowner in the area, has also objected that the plans will ruin a valuable rural gap between Birmingham and Bromsgrove.

Director of estates Alan Shrimpton said: "The trust bought the land to prevent the spread of Birmingham. There's woodland with some houses and dairy farms. We will certainly oppose these plans."

Residents in nearby Halesowen Road estimate about 30 bikes at a time could be racing on a hill just 500 yards from their gardens.

Homeowner Bob Ricketts said: "We have already got enough noise from the motorway and the A38. The only respite we get is at the weekends, which is when they will want to ride the bikes."

And resident Mary Troth added: "When they had motorbikes up there one time last year it sounded like a chainsaw."

Because the track would be elevated the noise would carry it further.

No one from the motocross club was available for comment as we went to press.