AXMINSTER residents have hit out over parking in the town after an ambulance struggled to reach a patient.

Paramedics had to re-route to reach the patient with a stretcher because cars were packed all along Willhayes Park.

And residents fear there will be an accident, if parking is not better managed.

Resident John Gardner said: “It’s chaotic and a safety hazard. I can see there’s going to be a nasty accident. People travel up fairly quickly, but there’s not enough room to get by.”

Jack Wakeley has lived in the area for 23 years, said the parking situation is getting worse.

He said: “It’s been a bone of contention here for years, but since they have started clamping down at the Co-op car park, it’s got progressively worse.”

And town councillor and resident Reg Brown has called for residential permits. He said: “We would prefer resident parking and wouldn’t mind paying a fee to make sure when I come home I have got a place to park.”

But he said when he brought it up at town council in the past, he was told it was Axminster’s only revenue.

He said he could understand why people would park there, particularly when it could cost up to �40 a week to use pay and display.

But he asked residents to be more considerate.

He said: “If people park here, I would ask them to consider the residents in the area and perhaps leave a gap between cars so there’s space should an ambulance call.”