Views '˜Collide' over car club meet in Spalding

About 600 people met up at Sainsbury’s car park, Winfrey Avenue, Spalding, on Saturday night for a get-together organised by Luke Kerr-Gray (22), founder of the Peterborough-based Collide Car Club.

Police in Spalding confirmed that about 15 owners were spoken to about vehicle defects and, following “several complaints” from people living nearby, the convoy of vehicles left the site at about 10pm.

Luke said: “The meet went really well and it got busier and busier as the night went on.

“We hold meets all over the place because if you have them in the same place, you tend to see the same people and the same cars.

“People from Spalding, Holbeach, Boston and Skegness came down after I invited as many people as I could to the meet through social media.”

Luke revealed that he started the club last year as a way for people who “admire” cars to meet and as a way of getting over the death of one of his friends two years ago.

“In this day and age, if you like to go for a drive then people tend to class you as being a boy racer,” Luke said.

“But when my best friend died, I needed something else to focus on and the only way I got through it was by getting in my car and going out for a drive.

“We want to change the way people see us because we’re car enthusiasts, not boy racers.

“We’re not doing anything shockingly new and some of the people who turn up to our car meets don’t even drive.

“They come to our meets for the friendly environment and our passion for cars.”

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “In total, around 400 cars attended covering both the public car park and also, after 9pm, Sainsbury’s car park too.

“Out of all the vehicles, only a very small handful of 15 vehicles and owners were spoken to regarding minor offences.

“The car park is a public place/road and any vehicles arriving/travelling on them must comply with road traffic legislation.

“Seven vehicles were either not displaying front registration numbers or had them fixed in a manner which was not compliant with road traffic legislation and five vehicles where displaying blue running lights in place of the standard white/orange bulbs.

“One vehicle had defective rear lights, one had a defective tyre and one person was advised about their manner of driving.

“No tickets were issued, only warnings given that (number) plates needed to be fitted correctly and bulbs changed as some drivers appeared ignorant to the law.

“There were several complaints from members of the public regarding the meet and the noise generated, however at 10pm, police requested that all music and engines were turned off until the vehicles departed.”