The owner of the historic Shipley Glen fairground has been visited by police and Council officials after starting to demolish a ride protected by law.

And a campaigner who won Grade II listed building status for the Aerial Glide, Britain's oldest surviving park ride, is now calling for urgent protection for the attraction.

Campaigners were delighted as they hoped the status would save the Victorian ride from demolition. But within four days of it being awarded, campaigner Mike Short, who lives opposite the Prod Lane park, called the police and Bradford Council after hearing a steel saw whirring in the park yesterday.

"I dashed across and saw the owner trying to cut part of the structure down. I couldn't believe my eyes," said Mr Short, who submitted the bid for listed building status to English Heritage.

"It's a tragedy. Most of the track which carries the seats around the ride has been taken away.

"We thought we'd done so well in saving it."

The Telegraph & Argus reported yesterday how the attraction at the pleasure ground in Baildon had been given listed status.

Resident Mr Short called the police and Bradford Council planning officers who went to the park to investigate and speak to park owner Paul Teale. The Council had served Mr Teale with a notice about the status on Friday when it was approved by English Heritage and listed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

But today Mr Teale said he began demolishing the ride, which he believes was built in the 1930s, at the end of the season as park tenants were interested in putting more modern attractions on its site. "It's a dangerous ride and as I was taking parts of it down I found three-inch bolts had rusted away," he said. "I was gobsmacked to hear about the listing. I didn't receive the notice as it must have fallen in with my recycling pile."

He said he stopped demolition once he heard about the listing when police and Council officers arrived.

"I was told by Bradford Council I could be fined up to £20,000 for this but I would rather take that than fork out £50,000 to re-build it," he said.

In August last year the T&A reported how Mr Teale, who lives next to the park, was seeking residential status for the site and planned to sell it off to a housing developer. His scheme, which would have meant knocking down the fairground rides, sparked a petition of more than 1,000 signatures. The application was deferred by planners because of the amount of opposition.

A Council spokesman said planning officers spent time yesterday talking to Mr Teale and were investigating the matter.

A police spokesman said: "Police officers attended along with Council officers who gave advice to the owner."

An English Heritage spokesman said: "English Heritage is shocked that this is taking place.

"The police and the local authority informed him (Mr Teale) of the legal situation and we trust that the demolition will now cease."