Council staff painted a disabled bay around a legally parked car – then threatened to tow the vehicle away.

Helen McCabe parked her brother’s gold Rover near her home in Desmond Road, Eastbourne, while she visited family in Liverpool.

There were no restrictions or markings in the road when she left.

So, while she was staying with her family, she was shocked to be told that the vehicle was flouting disabled parking restrictions, had been reported as abandoned and as a result could be towed.

Scratching her head, Mrs McCabe called police and councillors to try to find out what had happened.

Eventually she was told that council staff had painted a disabled bay around the car while she was away.

Mrs McCabe said: “I am very confused about how this could happen.

“It was not a disabled bay when we left. It seems very strange that the bay was painted around the car.

“I am not outraged, just completely confused.”

Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt apologised to Mrs McCabe for the mix-up and explained what had happened.

He said: “A routine piece of work was complicated by a rather unusual set of circumstances.

“We received a request from social services for a disabled parking bay to be marked out in Desmond Road, Eastbourne. We aim to respond to these requests quickly and on December 22 a contractor visited the site to carry out the work.

“It is standard procedure for the contractor to call at properties in the vicinity to ask that vehicles are moved before line marking begins. On this occasion the owner of the car in question could not be found.

“When this happens it is usual practice across local authorities in East Sussex for the contractor to paint around the vehicle.”

He added: “Ms McCabe contacted the council and several councillors over the Christmas holiday.

“Assistance was offered to ensure the car was not removed.

“The combination of the misleading abandoned car report and the holiday period resulted in understandable concern and I am sorry for the distress and inconvenience this caused.”