A STOURPORT optician who-se shopfront was smashed into by a hit-and-run driver is worried the town centre is being used as a “race track”.

Ed Evans, owner of Seymour and Easlea Opticians, in High Street, said it would cost thousands of pounds to repair the damage to his premises.

He said: “You hear it can be like a race track, with racing up High Street and round on to Vale Road, then on the Gilgal and back down Lion Hill and York Street before going back up High Street.

“Sometimes there can be as many as three cars abreast in the High Street.”

Mr Evans said he had only been at the premises for three years and had already had to pay £500 to £600 for broken shop windows and stolen signage. He said recently someone had been firing air pellets at the shop’s windows and he had not thought it “worthwhile” to get them fixed.

He said: “It’s just frustrating. I am happy where I am but you have to accept that when you open the shop in the morning you might find something has been damaged.

“It gets to the point where you think that if you fix things it will just happen again the following week.”

Lynne Masters, spokeswoman for West Mercia Constabulary, confirmed there had been a hit and run last Saturday at about 10pm.

She said the vehicle involved had been found in nearby Brindley Street and had “substantial front end damage”.

The driver had nearly collided with a pedestrian and an investigation was in progress.

She said car racing was an “ongoing” concern and police were being “vigilant”.

Anyone with information should contact police on 08457 444888 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.