MADNESS: Drivers dicing with death at Dunkeswell Airfield

Police seize van after driver caught doing handbrake turns on snow covered runway. Runway lights damaged and windows smashed.

POLICE have seized a Vauxhall Vivaro van after its driver was caught doing handbrake turns on the snow-covered runway at Dunkeswell Airfield

Officers, who responded to reports of anti-social driving at the airfield at around 9.30pm on Saturday night, discovered the driver, from Bridport, had previously been issued with a warning about his driving.

The offence he committed on the runway was driving other than on a road and causing alarm, distress and annoyance to the landowner.

The offender will have to pay a recovery fee of �105 and �12 storage per day, as well as being reported to court.

A police spokesman said: “This is a warning to all drivers that police and the landowners at Dunkeswell Airfield and the surrounding industrial estates will not tolerate anti-social driving at any time, especially during these cold, icy conditions.

“The landowner of the airfield has suffered damage to the strip lights on the runway. Also, a business owner had two windows smashed due to grit and gravel being thrown up by the wheels on the motor vehicles and hitting the glass.

“This driver was identified by using CCTV on the industrial estate and will pay �200 towards the damage caused.”