Kawasaki World Superbike team manager Paul Bird has cried foul over the decision to award compensation to residents who live near Croft circuit who say their lives are being disrupted by noise pollution.

Bird, who won the Jack Frost Rally at the track this weekend, is incensed by a High Court Judge's decision to give a family £150,000 in compensation for noise coming from the track.

The three residents, Derek and Julia Watson and their daughter, Jill Wilson, live at Vince Moor East, Dalton-on-Tees, within about 300 metres of the circuit. They have only moved there recently due to a former relative gaining employment at Croft Circuit, who has since left, but in recent years have claimed that excessive noise has inconvenienced them, despite Croft having some of the most stringent noise laws and operating restrictions of any circuit in the country.

"This can't be allowed to happen and we will do whatever we can in our power to stop these people" said chicken magnate Bird. "This place was here long before them and if they don't like it, they should move."

The circuit, which first saw race action in 1928, has appealed against the decision and is expected to hear within the next three weeks as to whether they have been successful but if not, not only could it be disastrous for Croft itself, but it would have potentially catastrophic ramifications for British motorsport in general with a precedent being set for local residents to sue their neighbouring race circuit (or any sporting or recreational facility for that matter).