A 75-YEAR-OLD man has been fined after scrawling "do not park here" in white paint on a van left outside his house.

A policewoman on patrol in Higher Audley Street, Blackburn spotted retired Harry Sagar committing the offence, and daubing emulsion on a nearby Saab car.

She did not arrest him but took him to Whitebirk police station where he was given an £80 fixed penalty notice for causing malicious damage.

But Harry said if the van continued to park there he will use gloss next time until the owners get the message.

The case has highlighted the problems with on-street parking which crop up across the county.

The pensioner has been in a long-term dispute over parking with his neighbours, who live a few doors away.

But Mazhar Sardar, 30, owner of the van, which he recently bought for his Blackburn haulage firm, said his vehicle was not causing any harm.

Mr Sardar said he watched Harry paint all over his van before pouring the remainder of the tin of emulsion over his brother's Saab, also parked on the road in between both houses.

Harry has 21 days to pay his fine but said it will not stop him from continuing his feud until visitors can park at his house.

He said: "I am totally fed up with this. It has been going on for so long with their vehicles outside my house and then when this van arrived it was the final straw. It has not really moved for three weeks.

"I have asked him but it just stays there. I just got so frustrated and did it. I know I shouldn't really.

"It arrived back again the next day. I am more angry now and next time I'll use gloss. They need to park outside their own house."

But Mr Sardar said it was often too busy to park the family car and the van outside his own house.

He said: "I have to park where I can. The street has limited parking with yellow lines. It is not doing any harm. I don't see why I should move it.

"We couldn't believe it when we saw what had happened. Luckily it was emulsion so it washed off.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did it again. I don't want to get into a heated argument with him."

Inspector Dave Croll, of Burnley police, said: "Some people think the road outside their house is their parking space, but it's not, it's anybody's."