WINCHESTER Cathedral bosses have vowed to give motorists one last chance before issuing them with a hefty fine.

Cars parked without authorisation in the cathedral grounds will soon get a warning notice slapped underneath their windscreen wipers.

But if staff spot the same car back there again, they will get tough and give the driver a parking ticket demanding payment of £85.

A 5mph speed limit is also being imposed on the Cathedral Close this month.

Receiver general, Commodore Adrian Munns, pictured, said: "We are hoping to encourage those who park here without authorisation to do so elsewhere.

"Signs to that effect are going up soon and we will start putting friendly slips under windscreens. If they are ignored the next step would be to issue a ticket.

"The slip will be like a yellow card and the ticket will be like a red card. It only applies to a few inconsiderate people. It isn't a public car park it is private land and we need the space available for our volunteers, many of whom are elderly."

He disputed previous claims made by the Dean, the Very Rev Michael Till, that the cathedral was considering clamping cars.

"We haven't clamped any cars at all and we don't want to clamp any cars," said Cdre Munns.

When the idea was reported in the Daily Echo at the end of last month opponents attacked it as being un-Christian and draconian.

Cdre Munns said an outside contract company had provided the cathedral with a clamp but that it was highly unlikely that cathedral staff would ever use it.

He added that the only time such an event had arisen in the past was 18 months ago when staff successfully stopped someone parking without permission by placing a large stone behind their car.

Cathedral staff will issue the tickets and the warnings but an outside company will process any fines.

A payment of £85 will be reduced to £35 if drivers pay up early enough. The scheme is being run as a joint initiative with the diocesan office and the Pilgrim School. The speed limit is being imposed because of the large number of families and elderly people who walk in the Cathedral Close.