Abandoned cars and caravans a plague - councillor

This car has been left on a street for about nine months according to a local councillor

Abandoned cars and caravans are "a plague" on communities in Devon, a councillor has said.

A car with a smashed windscreens has been left on a street in a village for nine months, it is claimed.

Police have removed two caravans dumped in a coastal beauty spot after pressure from residents worried about anti-social behaviour.

Local authorities in Devon deal with thousands of reports of abandoned cars every year.

Alan Connett, a Devon County Council member, said he wanted to see cars being removed more quickly

Alan Connett, Devon County Council member for Exminster, said residents had got in touch with him about a Ford Fiesta with a smashed windscreen left on a street.

Since it was left. other windows on the car have been smashed.

He said: "People get worried about anti-social behaviour, they're worried people might do something more to this car, they're worried that other people may start to leave cars."

Mr Connett pointed to another abandoned vehicle on an adjoining street.

He said: "There is something of a plague of abandoned vehicles in this district alone and I think it must also be across Devon."

Mr Connett said he had been asking Teignbridge District Council to remove the Ford Fiesta.

A spokesperson for Teignbridge District Council said it received a large number of reports and did not comment on this specific case.

This car was also marked as being abandoned in Exminster

Local authorities are responsible for dealing with abandoned vehicles.

Councils across Devon said thousands of abandoned cars were reported to them every year.

They said that after investigation most were found not to be abandoned or were removed by owners with less than 10% being scrapped or sold by councils.

The DVLA deals separately with untaxed cars and has the power to remove them.

Vicki Sheen raised her concerns about abandoned caravans with the local authority

Vicki Sheen, who lives near Battery Gardens in Brixham, raised the issue of abandoned caravans and cars on a nearby road with Torbay Council and the police.

She said people had been living in the caravans before abandoning them.

She said: "It's a thriving park with a really lovely community and vehicles that are just left here then block the car parking for people that are visiting and coming to use the park.

"The whole time that they're there and it's not being dealt with they are attracting other vehicles."

Mrs Sheen said the presence of abandoned vehicles made older residents worry about anti-social behaviour in the area.

This caravan was dumped near Battery Gardens in Brixham

Brixham Police said they had worked with Torbay Council to remove two caravans.

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Karl Copik, who helped with the move, said: "I know how much of an inconvenience this was causing local people, so it’s great that we were able to act to resolve this problem.

"Our team is aware there are still a number of abandoned vehicles remaining in the local area, and we’d like to reassure the public that we are working alongside the council to address this."