DEMONSTRATORS caused traffic chaos when they used horseboxes to pen councillors in a York farmyard this afternoon.

Queues of angry motorists grew behind the horsebox drivers, who sounded their horns and pulled up eyeball to eyeball outside the yard where City of York councillors were making a planning site visit.

The horsebox drivers, Jane Wood and Alyse Clancey, were taking direct action over plans they say mean more lorries on the narrow lane in Murton, York.

They said they wanted to show planners the road was unsuitable for large vehicles.

Damar Farms Ltd wants to convert an agricultural building to a garage for agricultural lorries and a base for a mobile vehicle repair unit at Moor Lane Farm.

Today, the company's agents said highways experts had no objection to the scheme, which planning officers at City of York Council have recommended for approval.

But the demonstrators say the road is narrow, dangerous and cannot cope with large lorries.

As the women made their protest, motorists began inching up the grass verge to get past their horseboxes, or made a series of tight manoeuvres to turn away.

One of the horsebox drivers then put her vehicle diagonally across the road to stop cars getting past.

Councillors at first ignored the honking horsebox drivers and continued their site visit.

But when their minibus tried to leave, it came to a halt in front of the horseboxes.

After five minutes of talks, the protesters cleared the way for the councillors to leave.

Alyse, who lives on Moor Lane, said: "Moor Lane cannot cope with the traffic it carries at the moment.

"A business of this type should surely be housed in an industrial estate, of which there are many in the area."

Jane Wood, who spoke to councillors today, said planners should consider the width of the road and those who use it at the moment.

She felt she had made her point and had been assured planning permission was not a foregone conclusion.

Murton Parish Council has made a formal objection to the application. Vice-chairman Isobel Waddington said: "The residents have been concerned about the number of lorries on that road and we are concerned on their behalf."

But Raymond Barnes, agent for the applicants, said: "The officers have assessed the proposal in relation to planning policy and have taken on the views of the highways authority and concluded it is acceptable."

Updated: 14:12 Monday, July 01, 2002