A ROW is brewing in Heartbeat country over the planned use of a layby by television film crews.

Yorkshire Television has applied to the North York Moors National Park Authority to park its service vehicles in the layby, which is 1.5km from Goathland, the village that features as Aidensfield in the television series.

But people living nearby said that allowing the vehicles to park there would create an eyesore and damage the land.

The layby is on an area of moorland known as Siller's Howe, and it is thought it would be used for 40 days between January and May.

At present, the film crews use a gravelled area just off the road to nearby Grosmont, but for five months, Yorkshire TV intends to use two film crews at the same time and needs extra parking facilities.

Jane Smith, from Green End, in Goathland, said: "This area was used by Yorkshire Television several years ago and there were occasions when I would be walking in the area after a period of filming and find a considerable amount of litter scattered over the moor.

"The car park is not Tarmacced and, previously, was left badly rutted by the television crew's heavy wagons during wet and muddy weather."

Similar complaints in the past over the state of the verges in Goathland led to the parish council being given permission to lay a stone footpath through the village to protect its green areas.

Yorkshire TV contributed £12,000 to the £96,000 project.

Officers have recommended approval for the layby parking scheme and a decision will be made on Thursday.