A clamping company is expanding its operations in a move to halt unauthorised parking in the Keighley area.

Carstoppers, who control parking on both the Changegate and Rawdon Road car parks in Haworth, are offering their services to anyone in the region who suffers from the problem.

An advert placed in the Keighley News two weeks ago by the firm has brought responses from a number of businesses in the area who are fed up with motorists occupying spaces on their land when they have no intention of using their facilities.

Ted Evans, of Carstoppers, said: "The advert we put in last week has generated quite a bit of interest from businesses in the area who are suffering from people parking on their property without authorisation.

"We have had enquiries from a couple of places in Keighley and in this area and we are currently looking into the legalities and the ramifications of the proposals."

The clampers have already started working in the car park of the Black Bull pub in Haworth, where landlord Phil Tait said unauthorised parking has become a major nuisance.

He said: "There has been a serious problem in this car park. It has been abused by the locals. The tourists aren't a problem because they will come in and have a pint.

"I don't make a penny out of the clamping. All I want is to reclaim my car park."

Mr Evans added: "We have started clamping at the Black Bull, but only for people who are cheating the landlord by parking on his car park when they are not using the pub. When they do that it means that his customers can't park there and it is not fair for others to take his business away."

l Haworth's clampers were in vintage form last week when they put a 66-year-old Rolls Royce in irons.

The car, a 1936 Sedanca De Ville, pictured, was clamped last Thursday in the Changegate car park when the owner, a tourist who was visiting the village, failed to turn up for an hour after the time on his ticket had run out.

Car Park owner Ted Evans said: "He was well over the time by about an hour or so.

"He was an extremely charming gentleman, he accepted that we had to clamp him and didn't get angry at all. He even showed the clamping men all around the car and the engine.

"We protected the car as we always protect expensive cars. It caused quite a stir in the car park."