The row over noise from the North-East's leading motorsport venue will take a new twist later this week.

A number of people with homes around the autodrome at Croft, North Yorkshire, claim their health has been affected by the sound of cars thrashing around the track even on days which have not been set aside for official meetings.

Some are alleging medical conditions such as depression have been worsened by the noise - one claiming she even contemplated suicide.

Half a dozen also have the support of a Darlington GP, who is backing the lobby pressing Richmondshire District Council to intervene.

However, when the authority's standards committee meets in Richmond, North Yorkshire, on Thursday evening (Feb 28) it will be to decide if its own officers have responded adequately to inquiries on the issue by Croft resident, Derek Watson.

He wrote to the council last year with four specific questions, linked to the authority's decision to abandon a noise abatement notice against the circuit in 2000. Mr Watson wants to know if councillors were aware there were similar allegations the circuit was putting residents' health in jeopardy at the time.

However, to date, he claims he has not received a satisfactory answer - and has therefore demanded he is allowed to address Richmondshire District Council's standards committee.

"It was November when I wrote my original letter but I'm still none the wiser," he said yesterday.

Correspondence he has received from the council points out the authority is prevented from discussing aspects of the Croft debate by a confidentiality agreement with the circuit, signed once the noise abatement notice was dropped.