ONE of the world’s best drift racers has caused a stir with residents living near the Magic Roundabout after he used it for a filming stint in the early hours of the morning.

Clouds of smoke could be seen as ‘Mad’ Mike Whiddett zoomed around the town’s landmark between 3am and 5am while a Red Bull film crew captured him behind the wheel of a bespoke Mazda RX-8, worth around £225,000.

Police officers and security guarded the area and County Road was among the roads partially closed off as people gathered to get a glimpse of the action, including taxi driver Chris Hale who said it was ‘incredible’.

But some residents living nearby are outraged the council agreed for the filming to take place, waking them up at 3am.

“It was so loud it was like a fighter jet,” said one resident, who phoned police unimpressed with the race car tearing down the street.

“There are elderly people and children who live in this street. I had no notice of this event taking place, and to be honest even if I did, it is still wrong to have it in a residential area at such a stupid time of the morning.”

During the filming last Tuesday, two sets of tyres were used as the New Zealander did two laps around the roundabout.

Cameras were set-up in the area, including at the fire station and a drone circled above to capture footage as well.

It is understood the scenes will be released on YouTube at the end of the month as part of a film focusing on the unique destination and to coincide with 175 years since Swindon was born as a railway town.

But a County Road resident added: “The event is not the issue that upsets me, what upsets me is Swindon Borough Council agreed for this event to take place between 3am and 5am. Agreeing to such an event at that time of the morning on a week day is a joke.

“I woke up just after they started the car and they were doing the mechanics and testing the engines. He was coming up from County Road to get a run up.

“It was a loud car and I thought it was boy racers and at 4am I phoned the police. Police said they couldn’t do anything as it had been agreed by the council.”

However John Lee, 78, and wife Wendy, 71, have lived in Shrivenham Road for 37 years and said they did not hear anything because they are used to the noisy traffic.

A member of the production team on the scene also said it was done at that time to cause the least disruption.

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said they did not want to miss out the opportunity to give the town exposure. 

They added: “We gave Red Bull permission to film on the Magic Roundabout because it was a fantastic opportunity to gain huge exposure for the town and, in particular, our landmark Swindon175 celebrations, via its social media channels.

“A public notice was placed in the Advertiser and almost 500 letters were sent out to business and nearby residents informing them of the filming and advising them of the likelihood of short bursts of increased noise levels.

"In fact Red Bull only completed two runs of the junction, lasting two and four minutes, respectively.

“We appreciate the filming was early in the morning, but we are not aware of any other complaints apart from this one. It is therefore disappointing we are talking about this one complaint a week after the filming, especially as a number of residents enjoyed watching the action unfold from a specially created viewing area.”

Video by Chris Hale