How to park on double yellow lines and NOT get a ticket

Simple, be a police car!!! Personally I think they forgot it was there rofl.

MYSTERY surrounds a police car which was abandoned in the town centre for nearly a week.

The vehicle was parked half on the kerb and half on double yellow lines in Commercial Road, opposite the tented market, and baffled residents and passers-by as they wondered if it had broken down.

The police removed it yesterday afternoon after the Advertiser received a number of calls about it.

Peter Wheeler, from the town centre, contacted the police to ask if a vehicle was missing.

"It is very strange," said the 70-year-old. "There wasn't a police officer in sight but the car has been there night and day.

"If my car was parked on double yellow lines that long, I would have 20 parking tickets."

Joanne McCarthy, of the town centre, said: "We thought maybe the police were doing surveillance.

"It went away during the week and then reappeared again.

Elaine Brookes, of Crombey Street, said: "I first saw it on Friday morning. I've come past a couple of times a day since then and never seen anyone there."

One motorist who spotted the car said: "It has been there since at least Tuesday and the traffic wardens seem to be ignoring it.

"I think the police might have just forgotten about it and left it there."

The police say there were valid reasons for its presence but will not reveal them.

Police spokeswoman Claire Usher said: "We cannot say anything.

"There is a reason why it was there, but for operational reasons we cannot say what it is.

"It definitely wasn't a mistake."