VILLAGERS in Addingham could have unwittingly caused the removal of signs billing Ilkley Carnival, it was claimed this week.

Lexa Robinson, chairman of Ilkley Parish Council, claimed several villagers had written letters of complaint to the Highways Agency about unofficial signs on the A65.

The letters apparently referred to large, colourful signs-on-wheels put up by Ilkley-based company, Alba Tyres.

Coun Robinson, told a meeting of the council: "The people of Addingham had complained, not about the carnival posters but about other posters that were going up on the A65. One of the main complaints was about a sign, on wheels, in a field, which they particularly disliked."

Coun Robinson claims that acting upon the letters, the Highways Agency also removed more than 20 signs advertising charity event Ilkley Carnival - three of which were six feet square.

She said: "Because of the six letters that they received from Addingham people they had to do a clean sweep and that meant removing all the signs on the A65. They could not pick and choose."

A spokeswoman for the Highways Agency confirmed that they had received a number of complaints from people concerned about signs on the A65. She explained that contractors had attempted to remove the Alba Tyres signs, as well as the carnival posters, but were unable to do so - one was chained to a lamppost.

She said: "We have contacted Alba Tyres and they have agreed to remove them." As the Alba signs were left standing, confusion arose among carnival organisers and the theory arose that their expensive signs had been stolen in a sabotage plot.

A spokesman for Alba, which has now removed the signs, said: "We have got one sign on private land in a farmer's field. We do not have any signs on posts on the bypass."

Gordon Campbell, vice-chairman of Addingham Parish Council, admitted that they had contacted the Highways Agency after complaints from residents about the Alba Tyres signs.

He told the Gazette: "I don't know anything about any letters but we had received some complaints from residents. We did something about it via the Highways Agency."

Coun Campbell said they had in no way wished to have the carnival signs removed. He said: "We certainly had no complaints or made no complaints about the Ilkley Carnival signs. They were not very big, it is all in a good cause and we know they will be taken down in a few days.

"The Alba Tyres signs were big and commercial and that is why we acted."

Coun Mike Lynes, who is a long-standing carnival volunteer, said he was still aggrieved at the Highways Agency's actions. He said: "The situation we have, stinks of jobsworth. Some of the signs were not even on the highway. They did not just remove the ones on the A65."