BOURNEMOUTH'S mayoral limo was left in a disabled bay on a road where parking wardens frequently hand out tickets.

Bystanders on Yelverton Road did a double-take when they realised the illegally-parked BMW 730 bore the Bournemouth mayoralty’s “EL1” number plate.

The car was left outside the Spearmint Rhino strip club, but it turned out that the mayor, Cllr Eddie Coope, had nipped around the corner to open a branch of the TSB.

The mayor’s chauffeur had left the hazard lights on and accompanied the first citizen, rather than risk him walking unaccompanied while wearing his valuable chains of office.

Bournemouth council has said the parking was “not normal practice” but had happened to avoid the mayor being late.

Bournemouth council said the chauffeur had not realised that Yelverton Road was blocked off by planters at its junction near Beales on Old Christchurch Road.

The road was blocked off last October as part of work to pedestrianise Beale Place.

A statement from Bournemouth council said: “The mayor was opening the new TSB in Old Christchurch Road and he had driven down Yelverton Road after being advised that he could turn into Old Christchurch Road. He was unaware of the planters that had been placed across the road to prevent this.

“As there was a lorry parked up in the road, several cars in the disabled car spaces, and cars parked in the ‘inlet road’, there was little option but to briefly park EL1 across the end of a disabled bay (not the whole bay) for the few minutes when [the chauffeur] briefly walked the mayor to the TSB.

“The mayor was wearing the chains of office for the opening so has to be accompanied when wearing them – an insurance provision. Mike [the chauffeur] left the hazards flashing on EL1 and put a note in the windscreen.

“This is something that would not be normal practice, but there was no option and not enough time to turn around and find alternative parking in the area as this would have resulted in the mayor’s late arrival for the opening.”

Bournemouth council charges £70 for major parking offences (reduced to £35 if paid promptly) or £50 for less serious infractions (discounted to £25 for prompt payment).