EXTRA parking restrictions on roads around AFC Bournemouth’s stadium on Saturday will not become a regular fixture, at least for now, says the council.

Cherries fans were left perplexed when cones were put out in Littledown Drive, where parking is not normally restricted at the weekend.

Several fans contacted the Daily Echo, saying there was no prior warning of the restrictions and questioning the legality of coning off the road without advertising the move in advance.

Bournemouth Borough Council has apologised.

One supporter, Mike Clark, 56, from Verwood , said: “I always park in Littledown Drive. When I arrived there as normal on Saturday I found it completely coned off, as well as the side roads running parallel to it.

“I asked one or two of the residents and they didn’t seem to know anything about it. They don’t seem worried as long as people don’t park in front of drives.”

Mike, who has followed Cherries since 1969, said he worried it might have an affect on attendance at games.

“There will be a lot of fickle fans that will not turn up in the future. I’m hoping it won’t become a regular thing.

“There are a lot of quite elderly supporters and they don’t want to park half a mile away.”

Another fan, Gary Chapman, said he thought any changes had to be advertised in advance.

“Having parked in that road for about 20 years it was a surprise.

“Every single side road was coned off as well, so it made it mayhem in the hour before the game,” he added.

Stuart Best, street services manager, said: “We have been asked to review parking restrictions on certain match days. Last weekend’s restriction was an exception and for this we apologise.”

Officers were due to meet councillors on site yesterday to discuss the options for the future.

As reported in the Daily Echo, Cherries fans were caught out on Easter Monday this year when the council ticketed cars in the same road, which is restricted at certain times of the day between Monday and Friday.