Police: Can we park our cars on your driveways?

Officers have contacted homeowners living near the police station to seek permission to leave their own cars all day on the empty drives.

In return, the residents of Epping, Essex, have been assured they would benefit from having daily 'personal service' through contact with police.

They were also told the presence of the vehicles outside their houses could help deter burglars. But some locals say the idea is 'ridiculous'.

The scheme was launched after a change in on-street parking regulations left officers with nowhere to park their private cars for free when travelling into work.

The station on the High Street has limited parking. Officers could drive to a pay and display car park, which charges £2.60 a day, just 200 yards away.

But instead they decided to approach people in nearby Buttercross Lane with their proposal.

The man behind the idea, PC Andy Mitson, said: 'We need spaces and in return they're getting a personal service. It's just an opportunity we're giving people. They don't have to sign up for it.

'There would be personal contact with residents. Many of the people agreeing to the proposal may be elderly and vulnerable and would be reassured by that contact. It's a joint approach that works both ways.'

Residents are split on the issue.

One, Robert Born, said: 'It's ridiculous. We all have to pay to park - why shouldn't they? They should have thought of this before the new parking plans were introduced.'

Another, who asked not to be named, said: 'As if having a car parked in the drive is going to stop a burglar.

'The car park can be no more than 200 yards away and it's £2.60 a day, which I think is pretty reasonable.

'I'm not trying to be awkward but it just seems a clever way to get them free parking.'

But another neighbour, Jim Sneddon, said: 'It's a bit bizarre but I can see why they'd want to do it. I would have thought it would get quite a bad reaction from people round here but I applaud their ingenuity.'