AN unlikely alliance between a lady and a tramp appeared last night to have come to the end of the road.

Lady Bolton, whose family own the Castle Bolton estate, became a public champion of "gentleman of the road" Mel Bird when Leyburn Town Council first tried to have him evicted from the market shelter in the North Yorkshire town.

The bearded tramp was accused of offending passers-by and allowing his dogs to foul the market place.

But supporters, including Lady Bolton, rallied round and accused the council of being heavy-handed when Mr Bird found himself barred from his favourite haunt - the market shelter which was locked in the hope he would move on.

But he has remained in Leyburn, holding court from a nearby bench and telling anyone who will listen that he counted Lady Bolton among his friends.

The town council was meeting last night to discuss the next step in the light of a public meeting, which spent almost two hours debating what to do about Mr Bird.

Options under consideration include slapping council tax on the owners of a derelict barn where Mr Bird sleeps at night.

Investigations are now under way to identify the owners of the barn so they can be billed for what would be declared a second home - amid speculation that the building was owned by Lady Bolton herself.

But last night, Lady Bolton quashed rumours that she was the mystery benefactor providing temporary shelter for Mr Bird, and made it clear that her position had now changed.

"I can no longer support Mr Bird," she said. "His behaviour has got a lot worse since last winter, but that is all I really want to say on the subject."