Residents were outraged when they saw two parking attendants stop on double-yellow lines to buy fish and chips.

They were even angrier when another pair of attendants stopped at the same place a few days later to buy their supper.

Malcolm Novell, who lives nearby, said he spotted the first vehicle parked at the junction of Kensington Gardens and Gloucester Road, Brighton, last Wednesday.

He said the pair had stopped on double-yellow lines and were blocking the route emergency services would take to get to that part of North Laine.

He said the same thing happened again at the same spot on Monday and he decided to complain to NCP, which enforces parking rules in Brighton and Hove.

Mr Novell said: "Everyone is outraged. I don't see why we should have one rule for them and another rule for us."

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "A letter is going out to parking attendants telling them they should park legally when they stop to get their lunch or dinner."

She said attendants should only park on double-yellow lines in an emergency and they should not cause an obstruction.