THE arrival of a family of travellers has split the business community of Hawes.

While some traders fear the caravan and Dormobile on the car park near the Dales Countryside Museum will deter visitors, others say they are decent people who cause no problems in the town.

The two-berth caravan and Transit-style camper vehicle arrived in the town last week and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, which owns the museum, is seeking legal advice on how to deal with the situation.

Coun John Blackie, deputy chairman of the authority, a county, district and parish councillor, and a businessman in the town, said the presence of the travellers could damage the tourism economy, devastated by foot-and-mouth last year, as the new season opened.

"There are concerns about the possible public perception of people living on a car park owned by the national park," he said.

However, other traders and residents leapt to the family's defence. Sara Mason, whose family runs Mason Brothers newsagents, said that to compare the effect of one family moving into the area with the ravages of FMD was "rubbish."

"The children have come to the youth club where I help and you couldn't have asked for more well-behaved and well-mannered children," she said. "How can we teach our own children to be tolerant and unbiased when people like this are persecuted? Just because they live in a caravan doesn't mean they should be treated differently."

She had no argument with the national park authority, which was going through the proper channels to deal with the situation.

Another trader, who did not want to be named, said the travelling family had been coming to Hawes for a long time and had caused no problems.

"They are no threat to my business and I think it is awful that some people are so narrow-minded as to think this way," he said.

A spokesman for the national park authority said action would be taken when advice had been considered. "Our motivation is that we are aware we are about to enter the holiday season in Wensleydale and people will need to use that car park and all the spaces available."