Visitors to Haworth have defended a private car park owner's right to penalise people who over-stay their waiting time.

Tourist leaders have attacked car park boss Ted Evans over his policy of clamping visitors on his Rawden Road and Changegate car parks in Haworth.

Some traders and tourist organisations claim Mr Evans is putting off people visiting the world-famous home of the Bronte family.

But visitors to the town on Tuesday defended his right to penalise people who failed to pay or excessively over-stayed their time.

While a Telegraph & Argus reporter and photographer were in the town yesterday, they saw three cars clamped - two at Rawden Road and one at Changegate.

A wheelclamp was placed on a foreign visitor's car at noon, about 25 minutes after the driver had overstayed his one hour, 60p fee.

Disabled pensioners Elizabeth James and Joan Sullivan, visiting from Kettering, paid £25 for the release of their Ford Fiesta.

Miss James said: "We saw the sign and went across the road to see if the shop was open. We went in and forgot about paying the fee. We are honest people - we genuinely forgot.

"I am a bit cross, but we broke the rules and we have paid the fee - it would have paid for our lunches.

"We think the car parking prices are reasonable in comparison with other places. But I think the £25 is a bit severe."

Kate Linford from Keighley, visiting with family from Harrogate, said they had paid £1.20 for two hours and would make sure they were back in time.

She said: "I think it is mean to clamp but if you go over the time you should have to pay. There are plenty of signs for people to see the rates."

Mr Evans has defended his policy which has sparked a hostile reaction in recent years. He has been running the car parks since the early 1980s, having reclaimed the derelict land in Rawden Road.

He hit back at tourist bosses claims that it was having an impact on the number of visitors. About 120,000 cars a year used his car parks and he had recorded an increase of 30 per cent recently, he said.

The wheel-clamping policy has sparked a hostile reaction from tourism leaders and the Telegraph & Argus has received numerous complaints over a number of years from disgruntled drivers.

Heated words were exchanged over the policy at last week's Keighley and Haworth Tourism Management Group where Worth Valley Councillor Mike Young said he had received 20 letters of complaint.

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