A tourist who left her car in a York car park returned to find it torched.

Now Linda Pearson has slammed operators of the Heworth Green car park who, she says, locked in her Peugeot 306 and left a recovery phone line unattended.

Mrs Pearson, visiting the city from Buckinghamshire, said: "It was our fault for getting back to the car park after it had closed, but we kept ringing the number given and were happy to pay the £50 fine for release that the sign said would need paying. We just couldn't get an answer."

Mrs Pearson contacted the police after finding the car park locked on Saturday.

A spokesman for York Police said they too were unable to contact Britannia Parking, operators of the car park on the site of the former gas works.

Mrs Pearson returned on Sunday to find the car park closed. The number was still not being answered.

At 1.05pm on Sunday, a spokesman for York Police said they received a call from the landlord of a nearby pub that smoke could be seen rising from the car park. The fire service attended and found the car burnt out.

Yesterday Mrs Pearson returned to the car park to find her car destroyed.

She said: "The terms and conditions are clearly shown and they state cars locked in can be released for a £50 fine, but how can that happen if nobody will answer the number?

"I will not let the people who did this stop me coming to York, but I am distressed and angry that this car park does not answer the number. This could, and should, have been totally avoidable."

Mrs Pearson was taken back to Buckinghamshire by the AA, while the remains of her car were assessed by her insurers. The T-registered car had cost her £9,000.

A car park attendant confirmed the number for the company, but calls made by the Evening Press also went unanswered until today.

Staff at Britannia said its operations manager was unavailable to comment today.

Updated: 16:18 Tuesday, April 17, 2001