MOTORISTS heading for the beach sparked fury by parking their cars on verges, in between trees and even on a roundabout.

Dozens of cars were parked illegally up along the grass verges on both sides of The Avenue in Poole on Sunday.

Residents were left angry when motorists avoided the double yellow lines by parking up on the grass between trees.

Resident Janet Smyth has lived in the area for 45 years.

She said: "I have never seen that in all my years I've lived at Branksome Park.

"There were people going into the car parks and going straight out and saying 'we're not paying prices like that'. I think we might be building a bit of a problem for ourselves in this area. I just thought it's such a shame in a conservation area. I've just never seen people behave like it before in this area."

Poole Borough Council increased their car parking charges in March and it is thought that the changes may have contributed to the parking chaos.

Another resident said: "We have lived in the area for 22 years and I have never seen the roads or beaches quite as busy as it was on Sunday. There were cars parked on the grass verges along The Avenue and all the side roads around Branksome Park. Apparently the car park at Branksome Beach was almost full by 7.30am."

Residents in Westcliff were also left furious when approximately 50 cars parked on the Durley Road roundabout.

West Cliff Green Residents' Association Chairman Chris Colledge received several angry calls from residents, with parking services nowhere to be seen.

Mr Colledge described the parking situation as "dangerous" as cars were "nearly colliding with each other" when they reversed on and off of the roundabout.

The parking debacle comes as Bournemouth Borough Council's Planning Committee considers an application to build flats on Durley Road car park.

Cllr Nick Rose said: "I'm totally against this. That's the only sensible car park for St Michael's School.

"The council leadership for some reason wants to flatten all the car parks we have left, yet keep building more houses, so there's not going to be any places for people to park.

"A child is going to get killed sooner or later if they flatten the Durley Road car park. It's a very bad decision and it's irresponsible."

Cllr Rose does believe there is currently "adequate" parking in the area, as long as the Durley Road Car Park is not built on.

Elsewhere, parking issues were seen in Bournemouth seafront too, with Bath Road South car park near Bournemouth Pier full before midday.