Silsden mini-skips owner Chris Atkinson faces an anxious future following the latest round in a long-running feud with a neighbour.

A public inquiry - called after Mr Atkinson, whose business is based at Bradley Green, was alleged to have breached conditions of his goods-vehicles operator's licence - has been adjourned

It followed a complaint to the Leeds-based North Eastern Area Traffic office from local residents Norman and Audrey Rushworth, of Oak Tree Court. The pair have been at loggerheads for years over Mr Atkinson's skip firm which backs on to the Rushworths' garden.

But the inquiry at the NEAT office was adjourned after deputy traffic commissioner Brian Horner said there was insufficient evidence against Mr Atkinson.

Mr Horner had earlier watched video evidence, supplied by the Rushworths, claiming that between August 28, 1998, and January 7, 1999, Mr Atkinson left the engine of his vehicle running longer than the permitted five minutes unless the crane mechanism on the vehicle was in use. They also claimed that Mr Atkinson had operated his vehicles outside the permitted hours of between 7.20am and 6pm.

But from the video produced, said Mr Horner, "you cannot be positive which vehicle was operating".

He adjourned for an independent check to be made.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.