NEWLYWEDS visiting Haworth after returning from their honeymoon were left distraught after treasured items from their wedding day were stolen from their car.

Charlotte and John Saunders' vehicle was targeted in the Bradford Council-owned Weavers Hill Car Park on Friday afternoon.

Thieves even took a carrier bag of clothes that were due to be donated to Manorlands hospice.

Mrs Saunders, 30, who used to live in Bingley and got married less than a month ago, said: "My husband and I had just returned from our honeymoon and were visiting Haworth for a friends' wedding.

"We parked in a woodland car park and returned later to find somebody had smashed in the rear window and taken everything from our boot.

"My wedding dress and celebration champagne were left, but our bags of sentimentally-valuable belongings were gone. I was very shocked and angry.

"The stolen items included thank-you notes and letters from relatives, my 30th birthday necklace, a voucher that was a wedding gift for my friend, shoes and clothing and GHD straighteners.

"It was only when we rang the police that we were told this car park has a reputation for car theft.

"The signs in the car park warning of this danger were obscured, old and discoloured.

"Clearly nobody patrols the car park and there is no CCTV, despite its reputation.

"Having looked around this area, I also realised how much danger someone could be in from mugging or sexual crime. The car park is surrounded by woodland and there is no form of security.

"I don't believe the council is doing enough to make this a safe place for tourists, never mind their cars."

The couple now live in Staines, Surrey. Mrs Saunders, who is a primary school teacher, said her experience had put her off visiting Haworth again.

Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council chairman, Councillor John Huxley, said he and his colleagues are aware of security problems at Weavers Hill Car Park.

"The tree cover there does encourage thieves," he added. "I do understand Bradford Council's financial constraints, and there are limits to what it can do, but we would like to see this car park managed better.

"If it is going to offer a pay-for-use car park then it has a responsibility to make it as safe as humanly possible. As a parish council, we'd like to work with Bradford towards this end."

A West Yorkshire police spokesman confirmed it had been alerted to the offence.

She added: "The theft is reported to have occurred sometime between 1pm and 4.25pm that day.

"Anyone who witnessed anyone behaving suspiciously in the area, or with information about this crime, is asked to call Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team, quoting the 13150338627 reference number."

Bradford Council declined to comment.