DRIVERS who use a notorious road as a racetrack “will be dealt with robustly”, police have warned.

It comes after a car smashed into a lamppost in Roscommon Way, Canvey, in the early hours of the morning. A 22-year-old man suffered a fractured ankle after the green Lexus lost control at the roundabout and crashed at the site of the road shortly after 12.30am on Saturday.

It is understood that he was a front-seat passenger. The driver and one other passenger were also taken to Southend Hospital with less serious injuries.

Police, paramedics and firefighters swarmed to the scene to help those who were trapped inside the car.

Simon Willsher, a roads policing sergeant, said: “Information given to the police regarding this incident suggests that reckless driving was the cause of the crash.

“Any driver who thinks they can use the roads as a racetrack will be dealt with robustly.”

PC Ian Risden, from the Castle Point and Rochford community policing team, said that Roscommon Way had been plagued by boy racers for years. Due to police cutbacks, the team are unable to patrol the street as regularly as in the past.

He said: “An investigation is underway to establish if any offences were committed prior to the crash, however this serves as a warning to anyone who continues to use this stretch of road as a racetrack. People can and do get hurt.

“Due to the changes in the force and changes to our priorities, we can’t focus our patrols down there as much as we could.

“That being said, people need to report any incidents and if we have a unit available then we will head down there.”

So far no arrests have been made and enquiries are continuing.

An ambulance spokesman said: “ Two ambulances, the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), two rapid response vehicles, an ambulance officer, a volunteer from the Essex Accident Rescue Service and the Herts air ambulance medical car attended and treated three patients.

“One had an ankle injury, one with a leg injury and another patient were all taken to Southend Hospital for treatment.”

Anyone with information can call Essex Police on 101.