A BURNED-OUT car was left sitting by a York road, for almost two weeks after a row over who should remove it.

The Renault Megane was set alight in an arson attack in the early hours of Thursday, November 20, while parked in Murton Way, close to the underpass of the A64.

However, the burned-out shell of the car was left in place for more than a week due to a disagreement between North Yorkshire Police and City of York Council over whose responsibility it was to remove it, with each believing the other organisation was responsible.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said: "In the case of burnt out vehicles where a crime is suspected, the police would only recover the vehicle if there was any forensic value in doing so or if it was causing an obstruction.

"In some cases, if hazardous chemicals were present, police would also assess the risk to individuals and arrange for recovery if it was appropriate. If none of these circumstances apply, the recovery of the vehicle is down to the owner of the car if they are traceable, or the local council’s environmental services."

A City of York Council spokesman said the authority had removed the vehicle on Monday, December 1, after negotiations between the two organisations found it was the council's responsibility - 12 days after the original incident.

Andy Laslett, service manager at the council, said: “Working together with the police and having had confirmation that the vehicle had no forensic value, wasn’t causing an obstruction or presenting a chemical hazard also, as no owner had come forward, we were able to remove the vehicle.”

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue previously told The Press the fire was believed to have been started deliberately, but North Yorkshire Police said no arrests had yet been made over the incident.