A RECYCLING centre has been forced to close while police investigate allegations that an irate customer assaulted a member of staff.

Waste management firm Yorwaste said the household waste dump on Beckfield Lane, in York, would be closed indefinitely.

The worker is believed to have been punched about the head and chest by an angry customer on Sunday.

Until last weekend, people were allowed on the site to dispose of their rubbish, even when full skips were being emptied and the waste taken away to Yorwaste's landfill site at Harewood Whin, near York.

But, in the interests of health and safety, the company last week took the decision to close the site for a short period when the skips became full, so they can be emptied safely.

The measures came into effect at the weekend - and Yorwaste said they resulted in several people abusing and threatening members of staff.

Tony Sharkey, the firm's waste strategy and contracts manager, said: "We took the decision in the interests of health and safety, not just for our staff, but for people who use the site.

"The site will be closed indefinitely while we carry out inquiries into what exactly happened, but we will not be going back to the situation we had before."

Yorwaste said people who normally took waste to Beckfield Lane could use the household waste recycling centres at Foss Islands, York, and Towthorpe, near Strensall.

Mr Sharkey added: "Unfortunately, actions taken by a minor number of site users will now inconvenience the majority who would normally use the site.