Meet-and-greet car park near Manchester Airport closed

Motorists previously reported lost keys and cars stuck in boggy fields on their return

A rogue meet-and-greet car park near Manchester Airport has closed following complaints over damaged and stolen cars, police have said.

It follows an operation by Cheshire Police in June to crack down on issues relating to car parks in the area.

Many of the complaints related to a makeshift car park on the grounds of a former country house at Lode Hill in Styal, the force said.

The owner of the site has agreed to remove the current tenants, it added.

Insp Andrew Baker said: "This is an absolutely fantastic result both for holidaymakers and for the local community, and I would like to thank the owner of this site for their co-operation.

"Many people using this car park made their bookings through online comparison sites, believing that they were booking professional, secure airport parking which are linked to the airport.

"In reality, the Lode Hill site had no affiliation to the airport whatsoever, and the cars were simply dumped in muddy fields."

'Unscrupulous companies'

He added there were still rogue parking sites operating in the area and advised motorists to choose a reputable company and always book through an official website.

A Manchester Airport spokesman said it would continue to work with the force to raise awareness of the risks posed by booking airport parking through these "unscrupulous companies".

"In addition to our own official parking products, there are a number of reliable and reputable third-party providers located near the airport and we would always urge passengers to do their research before handing over their keys.

"We encourage customers to use initiatives such as Park Mark and the government-backed Buy with Confidence scheme to find a provider that has undergone a series of detailed checks and is committed to trading fairly."