A GIGGLESWICK resident staged a one-man protest against works at Penny Bridge last Friday - by simply sitting on his own wall.

Andrew Watson, who lives at Sandholme Drive, told the Herald that work had commenced on the bridge, which included alterations to the wall, without consulting the owners.

He added that the pedestrian access that had been left while the work was continuing was inadequate for wheelchair users.

Mr Watson said that the 12 residents of Sandholme Drive jointly own the wall that borders the river.

He said that plans had been submitted to put piping through the wall without consulting the owners, despite Mr Watson requesting in August that the council negotiate with them before any work was carried out. These plans were subsequently withdrawn.

On Friday, Mr Watson heard the contractors were going to damage the wall and sat on it for two-and-a- half hours in protest.

He was asked to move on by divisional engineer of Mouchel (North Yorkshire's contracting division), Richard Marr, who threatened him with legal action if he did not move then called the police who escorted Mr Watson back to his home.

Mr Watson said: "I was warned not to cause any more trouble. In no way did I act illegally and when asked to comply with the law I did. I was desperate, which is why I did what I did. If there had been contact with us and they had negotiated with us properly for permission, the residents would have had the opportunity to inquire how we stood legally.

"During my protest my wife received a number of phone calls supporting what was going on from members of the public and one or two elderly residents came up and spoke to me in support."

North Yorkshire County Council confirmed that the incident did happen but did not wish to make a comment at this time.

On Monday Mr Watson attempted to take his wife, Elizabeth, who is disabled, to Settle Market. They were unable to pass through the space left for pedestrian access with a wheelchair and asked the workmen to move their crane which had blocked the road.

He then had to mount a five inch kerb onto cobbles to take the chair across the bridge.

"My wife takes morphine for her back - can you imagine the pain going over that?"

Mr Watson added that there was considerable objection in the area to the road been strengthened to allow heavy goods vehicles to pass over it. He said that the road was unsuitable because it was narrow, poorly lit and the bridge did not have a footpath on one side.

Forty-five letters of objection were received by the council's area committee under which the plans were approved.

Peter Welch, engineering manager for Mouchel, said that the company received Mr Watson's complaint at five to 12 on Monday.

"The reason he couldn't get the chair across the bridge was because the crane wasn't in the place where it should be. We asked the workers to the move the crane but it was a lengthy business and the road was cleared by 12.45.

"Pedestrian access normally includes wheelchairs. It was a momentary aberration on our part."