EARLY morning users of one of York’s main public parks found themselves locked out after the opening hours were changed without warning.

Weekend dog walkers and joggers were left waiting at the gates of Rowntree Park, expecting them to be unlocked at the usual time of 8am. But they were not allowed into the park until 9am.

Lara McClure, of The Friends of Rowntree Park, said: “The normal opening hours have been shortened on Saturdays and Sundays. The first we knew about it was when a sign appeared on the gate.

“We are very opposed to that because it’s a key time. That’s the sort of time when people go for a run or walk the dog.

“Different members of the Friends have gone down to the park and found people queuing up and the council hasn’t explained itself.”

Mrs McClure said the Friends group would be willing to open the gates themselves if the council was prepared to let them have a key.

A spokesman for the council’s parks department said the weekend opening time would return to 8am in August.

He said: “It’s to do with the working time directive which stipulates the hours of rest that members of staff have.

“If someone finished at 10pm and started at 8am the next day, they would not be getting the required hours of rest.”

He said the park would begin closing again at 9pm in August so the opening could shift again to 8am.

“We are hoping to have a permanent solution sorted out by next year,” he said.

Meanwhile, the council has confirmed that the 89th birthday celebrations of Rowntree Park, which were called off on Sunday, will not be rescheduled this year.

The event was cancelled amid health and safety fears due to high winds.