A long-running feud over alleged noise and fumes from a skip business will be thrashed out at a public inquiry.

Silsden Mini-skips boss Chris Atkinson is due to attend the inquiry in Leeds tomorrow to answer claims that his business in Bradley Green, Silsden, breached goods vehicle operator's licence conditions.

Mr Atkinson is at loggerheads with neighbours Norman and Audrey Rushworth, of Oak Tree Court, who have supplied video evidence to the North East Traffic Area office in Leeds.

The pensioners claim that between August 28, 1998, and January 7, 1999, Mr Atkinson left the engine on his vehicle running longer than the permitted five minutes unless the crane mechanism of the lorry was in use.

Mr Rushworth said: "He runs the engine much longer than five minutes. It's just at the back of our house. It's making our life miserable with the noise, the fumes and the stink.''

He also claims Mr Atkinson has operated his vehicles outside the permitted hours of 7.30am to 6pm.

But Mr Atkinson has hit back at the Rushworths and claims they are running a vendetta against him.

"We have had no other complaints. I don't want to say any more in case it prejudices the hearing," he said.

The traffic commissioner, who will conduct the proceedings, will have the final decision on whether there have been any breaches of regulations.

In 1994, Bradford Council issued an enforcement order banning Mr Atkinson from running the business at the site, but the decision was overturned by a government inspector.

A further inquiry resulted in Mr Atkinson accepting conditions imposed after the inspector granted his goods vehicle licence for two years instead of the normal five.

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