RELATIONS between Burnley market tenants and their council landlords hit a new low today after the town hall called in a company to clamp their vehicles.

Furious market traders claimed today they were being victimised and put out of business by the council with whom they have a series of long-running disputes including a £250,000 compensation battle over disruption to business while town centre improvements were carried out.

Already several traders have had to pay £50 to get their vehicle released from clamps, but markets manager John Heyes said the clamping had been introduced with the traders' approval and he had received a lot of positive feedback from traders who had previously been unable to deliver because the service bay was blocked.

Both delivery vehicles run by Brady's Florist and Amy's Floral Corner were clamped on Friday leaving the stall owners fuming.

Sylvia Paley, who has owned Amy's for 14 years, said: "How am I supposed to run my business toing and froing from a car park?

"Having to keep moving my vehicle is just making my job intolerable. I am finishing with the market stall on March 14 and the way Burnley Council has been acting is a factor in that decision to leave."

Paddy Brady, who is also secretary of the market tenants association, said: "My vehicle was only parked up at 4.30pm and the clamp was put on at 5.10pm. The market was closing and all they had to do was ask for the vehicle to be moved.

"Commercial vehicles are going back to their employers saying they will refuse to come in the market service bay so we are not going to be able to get our supplies.

"On my lease it says I operate a floral delivery service and in the last year I made more than 4,200 deliveries - how am I to carry those out if I can't park my vehicle?

"We were told that the clamping company would operate using 'tact and common sense'. We believe we are being victimised. We feel they want the market traders out."

Markets manager Mr John Heyes said: "This is a continuing problem caused by people parking in the service area for long periods of time preventing delivery vehicles supplying businesses.

"We have tried to resolve this without having to result to clamping, this is the last resort. Argos have praised this action even though the company's boss was clamped on Friday and he admitted he only had himself to blame.

"I dispute the claim we are trying to put the market out of business. The clamping company will be here as long as is necessary."

A spokesman for Preston-based National Clamps said: "The signs have been up since June 9 but we were only instructed to start clamping by Burnley Council last week.

"Ninety per cent of the traders want us in there because they can't get their deliveries for people parking up all day.

"No vehicles should be parked in there at any time. It is specifically for loading and we stand by the action that has been taken."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.