A ROW is brewing over market traders' vehicles being parked in Guisborough's busy high street.

Town councillors say Lord Gisborough's ancient rights over the market do not shape up to modern traffic laws. They want police to handle complaints about traders being allowed to park beside stalls in an experiment sanctioned by the peer.

The council had called for immediate action from Lord Gisborough as it was felt stallholders were in breach of market rules.

The local Salvation Army leader has also entered the fray with a warning that someone could be killed in an accident if the situation is allowed to continue. He says he narrowly avoided knocking someone down.

However, Lord Gisborough, who has jurisdiction over the market, says traders need to park nearby to stop their vehicles being vandalised.

At last Thursday's town council meeting, Coun Malcolm Griffiths said the situation should revert to market vehicles being removed from Westgate.

But Coun Mary Kirkpatrick said: "This is a market town and we need the market. I dread to think what would become of us if we lost it."

The chairman, Coun Brian Whiteley, said: "We should enforce the rule that vehicles are cleared by 10am."

Vice-chairman, Coun Barbara Punshon, said: "Give Lord Gisborough's letter about giving traders the right to park on Westgate to the police.

"He can't do this if it contravenes safety rules. Say 'sorry about your medieval rights but you have to comply with modern traffic laws'."

Salvation Army Capt David Lennox told the council he found it increasingly dangerous to drive in the Westgate area on market days as traders' vehicles made it hard to see oncoming traffic.

Appealing for action, he said: "Do something sooner rather than later before someone is seriously hurt or loses their life."

He accepted the need to protect market trade and suggested a patrol on a designated car park.

Lord Gisborough said: "Unlike most other markets, I have always laid down strict rules that vehicles should not be parked by stalls. Sadly, traders found their vehicles were being damaged when out of their sight so as an experiment I allowed them to park beside the stalls.

"This will slightly restrict visibility, but I have no evidence it has caused any trouble. I personally do not like it which is why I forbade it for so long, but traders cannot compete with vandalism."

Lord Gisborough's agent, Mr Andrew Argyle, said the objective was to bring trade to Guisborough. "Stallholders were leaving due to a lack of security," he said.

When he inspected the area last week, stallholders had their vans well out of the way. "But I am aware one or two have not parked in the best of positions and its our job to make sure they use their commonsense," said Mr Argyle, adding that the market superintendent would be asked to ensure this happened.

"This does not need to involve the police. It just needs reining in a bit so there is a clear access," he said.

"If it was the councillors' businesses and their vehicles which were being broken into, what would they see as the incentive to stand on the market?"