FURIOUS business owners have threatened to stop sponsoring council projects in Darlington after a long-running dispute over pay-parking intensified.

Gallerina proprietors Richard Hindle and Gwen Brown are considering pulling out of sponsoring Darlington Borough Council schemes in protest at the parking charges imposed in Duke Street.

The couple said they would consider spending that money on free parking for customers at the rear of their gallery instead.

The couple were furious after a customer called into the gallery for three minutes to collect a piece of artwork - and returned to find a £60 parking fine on his car.

Meanwhile, they said, across the road a number of cars were parked on a single yellow line which is policed by Durham Constabulary.

The council's pay and display meters were recently installed in Duke Street and other areas of the town.

Mr Hindle said he insisted on taking the parking ticket from the customer, but is demanding the council drop the case.

He said: "Council wardens patrol the meter side of the street aggressively while nothing is done by the police about the cars parking illegally on the yellow lines opposite.

"In the time it took to bubble wrap the painting, the customer had a £60 ticket, yet we watched cars parked for one-and-a-half hours on the yellow lines opposite and no action was taken.

"We are now wondering whether our council sponsorship money might be better spent on providing free parking at the rear of the gallery."

Ms Brown said that many of their customers were from out of town and did not realise that they had to pay to park - the nearest meter was some distance away.

Gallerina sponsors two council roundabouts and has also paid for the murals around the floral train display on High Row.

However, the council and police said that the majority of cars on the other side of the road were entitled to park there as blue badge holders.

A council spokesman said: "The parking charges scheme has been well-publicised.

"If people are not familiar with the town centre, they need to check before they stop about parking.

"There aren't many towns now where you can park right in the centre and it's not metered or limited parking."