GRASSINGTON Parish Council has voiced its concerns about the size of the village's Dickensian Festival.

Each year the festival, held in the run-up to Christmas, brings thousands of visitors to the village which helps to boost trade during the quieter winter months.

However at a meeting of the parish council chairman Eric Rowley asked organiser Rosemary Biggin whether there was any way that traffic could be limited.

Coun John Benson, who runs The Craft Shop on Grassington Main Street, said that on the middle Saturday of last year's Dickensian Festival he felt there were too many people in the village to the extent that it was like a "cattle market".

He explained that he had customers in his shop who were unable to leave due to the volume of people. "It's a dangerous situation," he said.

Coun Rowley said that he was concerned that if an emergency vehicle needed to get through, it would have difficulties.

Mrs Biggin said that she tried to limit the amount of coaches coming to the village, but she could do nothing about those which did not book.

Grassington police sergeant Dave Cochrane said that he had already met Threshfield Parish Council which was concerned about the high levels of parking on its streets while the festival was being held.

Mrs Biggin said that she would take back the council's concerns to the festival committee and see whether any changes could be brought in.