The police have issued a warning to car owners who deliberately backfire their cars, have loud exhausts and ’stretched tyres’.

The warning comes after a spike in queries from motor enthusiasts and complaints from members of the public.

A statement by the roads policing unit said: ’Every exhaust system and silencer must be maintained in good and efficient working order and must not have been altered after the date of manufacture so as to increase the noise made by the escape of exhaust gases.’

The police also warned against drivers of cars using stretched tyres. This involves where a tyre is smaller than the rim, but is stretched to fit, the road policing unit warn this is illegal.

The police added: ’Stretching the tyre is dangerous and all tyre manufacturers state that none of their tyres should be stretched.

’We understand that people like to "tinker" with their cars and sometimes take great pride in doing this. However, we must maintain road safety.’