Police received a number of complaints about drivers' behaviour

Around 100 officers from the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police worked on a stretch of road on Thursday night between Sutton and Banstead in Surrey called "mad mile".

More than 50 warning notices were handed out to drivers to tell them their vehicles could be confiscated if they were found driving badly again.

The operation was one of the first of its kind to use new powers to seize cars repeatedly driven in a way that could cause "alarm and distress" on public roads.

With these new powers we're hitting these drivers where it really hurts Chief Inspector Mike Harper, Metropolitan Police

Police say the initiative followed six months of planning and gathering intelligence.

They say they had received a number of complaints from other drivers and residents who had been alarmed at regular problems in the area on Thursday nights.

Chief Inspector Mike Harper of the Metropolitan Police said: "With these new powers we're hitting these drivers where it really hurts.

"The reason they get together like this is to show off their cars, and by confiscating them, we're not only stopping them from driving dangerously but also taking away their pride and joy."

The confiscated vehicles were taken to a storage yard in Charlton, south east London.

The owners were told they could collect them within 21 days and would have to pay �105 for removal and �12 a day storage charges.

If they do not claim the vehicles in time they could then be destroyed.