Shillingford village car park fence causes row

The trustees put in a metal fence and gate to "protect the village green as a traffic free area"

A "bonkers" row has erupted over a small village car park after a frustrated community group erected a fence down the middle of it.

"Gobsmacked" parish councillors in Shillingford, Devon, were accused of parking on the village green which sits on the edge of the paved area.

In a letter the trustees said their warnings about doing so went unheeded.

The group did not comment to the BBC about its decision to build the fence.

A local landowner handed the green, which sits behind the village hall, to Shillingford in the year 2000 and its care was given to the eight trustees.

'Vindictive'

The parish council said cars had parked on the grass "a couple of times" and there was no consultation on the fence.

Chris Carr, council chairman, said he and his colleagues were "gobsmacked" when they saw the metal barrier and gate.

"We could not believe it," he said.

"It just seems very vindictive and unfortunate."

'Vehicular traffic encroachment'

The council has written to the trustees saying that the fence "significantly restricts the free access of the parish" to the green.

In their letter, the trustees said they had warned councillors "on several occasions" parking was not allowed on the green.

The fence cuts across the paved area of the green's car park

They referred to an ultimatum which stated the barrier would be fenced if "further vehicular traffic encroachment occurred".

"Unfortunately our concerns and warnings were not heeded," they wrote.

They said the fence was erected to "protect the village green as a traffic-free area"

Villagers are collecting signatures for a petition against the move which it will present to the trustees.

Mr Carr said most villagers supported the parish council and he was "hopeful the issue can be resolved".

"We cannot have a fence through the car park and it has to be removed."