Always a popular destination for its literary links to the Bronte sisters, Haworth will be on the top of many lists for day trips this Bank Holiday weekend.

Alan Fisher has already packed his deckchair and flask in preparation for a two-day trip... to one of the village's car parks.

Mr Fisher, 34, is no nerdy car fan looking out for the latest motoring models, but a one-man crusader against car clampers.

He decided to launch his fight against the clampers in Rawdon Road car park after having to pay £40 to have his Fiat Brava released on a recent trip.

He had been enjoying a day out with his family when he realised his parking ticket was close to expiring, and set off back to the car park.

"With a three-and-half-year old, an 11-month old baby and a 67-year-old mother-in-law with us it was a bit of a trek up the cobbled hill," he said.

By the time they made it back to the car park - 20 minutes late - his vehicle had been clamped and he was left with a £40 release fee and a very upset family.

To stop the same happening to other families he will be staking out the car park on Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday and paying for new tickets for any car that has over-extended its stay.

"I will ask them for details of their car when they buy their ticket, and if they are late back I'll put another ticket on for them," he said.

"If they feel grateful that I have saved them £40 then they can reimburse me something for the ticket."

Mr Fisher, of Stainland Road, Stainland, near Halifax, said he is prepared to bear the costs himself if it sends out a clear message to the clampers.

"I want to be putting some pressure on the people who are doing this and giving people a hard time," he said.

While he recognises the car park firm's right to run a business and make money, he believes the charges are just too high.

"I think there should be some limit on how much they can charge, something that's reasonable" he said. "Put a premium on over and above the standard rate, but it's only 60 pence an hour to park there, so £40 seems exceptional."

But Ted Evans, director of the car park, said the fee is cheaper than in many other car parks.

"We can give a fixed penalty ticket after a minute," he said.

"People buy a ticket for two hours, not two hours and a minute."

And he added that if Mr Fisher disrupts his trade he will have him moved on by police.

"He will have a job on keeping track of all the cars," he said. "But having said that if he starts to prejudice the business of the car park as a result of this I will have him removed."

Keighley MP Ann Cryer, hailed Mr Fisher as a "Good Samaritan" and said she would have loved to have gone and supported him but she is away.

"If you could get a group of people prepared to do this it would scupper the clampers. It is a money-making exercise. It is reasonable that he Mr Evans should get money from parking fees but not in this way - and from so many people.

"At the moment there is legislation going through on this very issue which would make it more difficult for clampers. I am very angry about it. It is just not fair."

She said she had had letters from around the country from visitors saying they had been clamped unfairly, including former Prime Minister of Australia Gough Whitlam.