A RESIDENT was shocked when she looked over her garden fence and saw a fairground being set up.

Marianne Scott claimed City of York Council failed to consult or inform local residents about plans for the fair, which opens tonight in Chesney Fields, Foxwood, York.

"The first I knew was when I looked out of my window and saw three juggernauts arriving in the field, just over my fence," said Marianne, who lives off Gale Lane.

"I thought at first it might be travellers, but then we got a little leaflet through the door from the council telling us that a fair was coming."

She said she was most concerned because the fair will stay open each night until 9pm.

"I put my two-year-old son, Alexander, to bed at 7.30pm in his room, which overlooks the fields, and he won't be able to get to sleep for all the racket.

"I think we should have been consulted and informed about this. The land is owned by the council and there's a children's play area there, but there's never been so much as a car boot sale before."

Another resident, Marie Robinson, said she had concerns about noise, but also about the possibility of disorder, and about people parking in her road to get to the fair, making it difficult for residents to park.

"Everyone is very unhappy about it," she said.

A council spokeswoman said today the fair was originally supposed to be coming to the area last year, but the visit had to be postponed because of the death of its operator.

"Local people had been informed about it at that time," she said. "However, since the visit was rearranged, the council has circulated flyers confirming the opening and closing times, and providing a phone number for people to use in case they do have any concerns.

"It is a small, community fair that we felt would provide young people with something to do, without their parents having to get out the car and drive them somewhere. There won't be loud music and the fair will close at 9pm each evening."

She said while the council was aware some residents had concerns, it had also received a lot of positive feedback from local people who were pleased an attraction of this kind was visiting their community.

She said: "We would also stress it is for one weekend only."

She said the fair operator would be paying the council a land hire fee and would have to pay for any damage caused to the site.