A 250-strong group of car enthusiasts were dispersed by police who say they were unlawfully meeting in a Huddersfield supermarket car park.

But they claim Tesco had allowed them to use the car park in Huddersfield town centre and say police have over-reacted.

Classic car owner Tim Price, 25, claims Huddersfield Tesco’s duty manager had verbally sanctioned previous meetings at the end of last year and had not raised any objections since then.

Mr Price, of Crosland Moor, told the Examiner: “We have always tried to keep ourselves to ourselves and stay off the road – but last Sunday’s meeting was totally different.

“Police blocked the entrance at around 7.30pm and warned us that persons attending would get a section 59.

“A couple of the group started beeping their horns.

“But the rest of us weren’t involved and were threatened with a road traffic order and told to keep quiet.”

“Usually police come round and look at our vehicles and have a friendly chat.

“This time there were two traffic cars, three panda cars and two vans.

“I am classic car enthusiast – I wasn’t doing anything wrong.

“The duty manager from Tesco came to the November meeting and didn’t raise any problems.”

The Ituned Car Meet group was made up of members with cars including high performance vehicles and modified cars as well as classic cars.

Mr Price, who owns two classic cars and was at the meeting with his white Ford Escort XR3i, said: “I am classic car enthusiast. I wasn’t doing anything wrong and neither were the large majority of people.”

But after the unwelcome response the group is now looking at alternative options to prevent further confrontations.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “These types of meetings, when they take place on private land such as supermarket car parks, are unlawful without permission of the landowner.

“The police will therefore take action against offenders.

“In this case over 100 vehicle owners were issued with a warning for anti-social use of their vehicles.

“Three cars were seized from people for failing to heed previous warnings over the last 12 months. These vehicles will have to be recovered at the owner’s expense.”

Tesco were approached for comment but did not provide one.