Business owners have criticised traffic wardens who took parking discs off cars after being placed there by a good Samaritan trying to make sure drivers did not get fined.

Now they are calling for a central point where drivers can get parking discs, and signs to tell people where they are.

“It is wrong and needs to be addressed, people in the town are trying to help,” said Bedale barber Gary Clarke.

The town has two-hour free disc parking across most of the high street.

Mr Clarke said he was angry when he saw a young staff member from a local business putting parking discs on the outside windscreen of vehicles which did not have them inside. Two traffic wardens took the discs off and when the youngster put new ones on they were also taken off and the wardens told him they had to be on the inside.

“It made me angry because they were laughing at him. I know they have a job to do but in the current climate times are hard enough, so this is just unnecessary.

"It’s confusing because some people from out of town don’t know where to get the discs. I have had people come in for a haircut which maybe takes 20 to 30 minutes and then because they haven’t put a parking disc in they get a £60 fine for half an hour's parking.

“The young lad was trying to help people, the wardens were being too strict, I know they have a job to do but they are just ruining people's days. Most businesses stock the discs but it shouldn’t be our responsibility, we have businesses to run ourselves. It doesn’t say on the signs where you get the parking discs from.

"If they made it very easy for people to get them it wouldn’t be such an issue.”

Another business owner added: “I think it is sad that they would take the parking disc off, people are struggling as it is, making it more difficult with parking fines is just making it worse and it can put people off coming to the town.”

Scarborough Council, which operates the traffic warden scheme on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council, did not respond to requests to comment.