Angry resident paints double yellow lines on Shrewsbury road

St Mary's Court in Shrewsbury is renowned as a peaceful and leafy oasis in the town centre with its quaint church, beautiful architecture and high end shopping centre.

But this week, it became a blank canvas for one Shropshire man who has launched a protest about parking rights in the area by angrily daubing double yellow lines in bright, thick paint on a section of the road.

Mark Peters, 47, who lives in St Mary's Court, took to the square with his paintbrush on Tuesday to mark the road outside his house near the Parade Shopping Centre.

Mr Peters, a painter and decorator by trade said he wanted to make a point after he received a parking fine on Sunday.

He said the new paintwork would make it clear to people they couldn't park in certain areas.

But he was stopped midway through the job and his handiwork was removed within hours.

Mr Peters said: "There is nothing to say you can't park in this area of St Mary's Court. I had only parked my car there for five minutes and I was handed ticket.

"I was very angry because the traffic warden just said the whole area had restricted parking.

"I'm a painter by trade, so I painted the lines to make a point. I live in St Mary's Court and I think this is just another way to make money.

He attempted to paint the double yellow along a ten-metre stretch of the road using masking tape to keep the lines straight.

After completing more than half of the job he was told to stop what he was doing by a police officer while workmen from Shropshire Council were sent to power-wash the road and the paintwork was removed by noon.

Laura Owen, spokesperson for Shropshire Council said: "This area is part of a restricted zone which has been approved by the Department for Transport.

"This reduces the visual intrusion of double yellow lines in the conservation area.

"The zone has additional signage to inform people of the restrictions in place."

By Sam Pinnington