A WOMAN who drove off after her car had hit a parked 4x4 had later been confronted by its irate owner ''yelling and shouting'' at her, claming he would have to spend £1,100 to put the damage right.

Paula Kay Farrell told District Judge Sheila Driver, sitting at Harrogate Magistrates' Court yesterday, that she rejected witness accounts of her accident in Regent Street, Harrogate, on July 17 after she had tried to collect a wardrobe.

When witnesses told police of her car twice hitting a Vauxhall Frontera owned by John Houseman, they were wrong. ''It is not true. I was going as slowly as I could,'' said Farrell, 59, of Burke Street, Harrogate.

She said she had later had a home visit from Mr Houseman who had been yelling and shouting at her. He had claimed the damage done was to the value of £1,100, but it had been put right for £147. She had been travelling at less than 10mph at the time of the collision.

Farrell, who pleaded guilty to careless driving, failing to stop after an accident and failing to report the incident, was said by Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, to have told police she had reversed down the road, believing this would make it easier for her to collect a wardrobe.

As well as parked cars, there had been rubbish bags awaiting collection by binmen and two women with dogs that had to be avoided.

Mrs Tyrer said Mr Houseman had been told of the incident by a neighbour, who had claimed Farrell's Ford Fiesta had reversed into his 4x4, hitting the passenger door and striking a side bumper.

Farrell was fined a total of £200 with £45 costs and five penalty points.