A BOURNEMOUTH council van being used by environmental health officers was given special dispensation to park on double yellow lines, the council has confirmed.

An indignant Echo reader sent in this picture of a council van breaching parking restrictions in Nortoft Road, Charminster.

But Margaret Leslie, parking operations manager, said the van had permission to be there. She said: “Environmental health approached us to discuss their need to park as close to the premises they were working in as possible due to the use of chemicals as part of their work.

“In view of this fact we were happy to give dispensation on this occasion for the vehicle to be parked on the roadside.”