'JOBSWORTHS MAR FESTIVAL'

Seven hundred children from 21 schools marched through the town and then descended on the Paddock for a picnic and entertainment.

It was in The Avenue, adjoining the Paddock, that the wardens struck.

'The day was a great success, but sadly it was spoilt for a few people, probably parents, who had been helping and had parked close to the Paddock,' said visitor David Rowland.

'It is true that they parked on double-yellow lines for a length of time, but was it really necessary to give them a ticket with a 30 fine?

'The road is wide at that point and the cars were causing no problems at all.

'Surely, at a time when there is an event on, do these "wicked offenders'' really have to receive a ticket?

'Has common sense completely gone out of the window? It makes my blood boil when these jobsworth people have to resort to such acts; motorists are such an easy target, especially when the drivers are not even there.

'It would be magnanimous of the council to rescind these tickets.'

Mr Rowland was not one of those ticketed.

An NCP spokesman said: 'There was no approach from the organiser of the event to see if we could assist with special parking arrangements.

'Had we been approached, we may have been able to assist by reserving parking bays or off-street parking.

'However, we would not have allowed parking on double yellow lines. Parking restrictions are there for reasons of safety. Drivers who park on double yellow lines put others at risk and are breaking the law. The law is applied equally to any vehicle that is found to be parked illegally.'