Bront Society officials yesterday denied accusations of secrecy over the departure of a former Parsonage Museum director.

Some members of the literary society are understood to have criticised it over the handling of Mike Hill's departure in April of last year.

He resigned from his job following suspension and the details of the investigation were never made clear to the public.

The issue is likely to come up at tomorrow's annual meeting of the Bront Society, in Haworth.

There were also rumoured claims that members were dissatisfied with the handling of its property at 74 Main Street.

The society has been trying to sell converted offices for over six months and the current asking price of £90,000 is almost £25,000 less than the £114,000 the society paid for it six years ago.

Bront Society chairman Margaret McCarthy says: "We have got a new museum manager now -- Alan Bentley and we are beginning to control our finances.

"Mike Hill's departure was over a year ago and he has moved on and so have we.

"There is no secrecy in the society, members know everything that is going on -- the work we are doing, the finances.

"The property in Main Street has not been sold yet but we are much more stable financially and are working hard, we have turned a corner and it's a very positive time for us."