IF you thought you were safe from the scourge of the modern-day motorist while tucked up in bed - then think again.

For on the streets of Southampton in the dead of night, parking wardens are on the prowl.

Exasperated with the lack of parking space on his street after a hard day at work, motorist Bob Goldie decided to park where he could on double yellow lines.

When he returned to his car early the next morning he was shocked to discover a ticket wedged underneath his windscreen wiper - issued at almost 10pm.

He said: "I was shocked that tickets were being given out in the middle of the night. Lots of us were done. It shows that these people know the problems we are up against with the lack of parking and are simply taking advantage of it.

"We are just fed up around here with the increasing residential developments that put an additional crush on the available parking space."

According to homeowners living in the area of Englefield Road and Vespasian Road, they are forced to park on double yellow lines because of the lack of parking provision.

The problem was further compounded on the night Mr Goldie received his unwanted bill when a 75-metre stretch of the parking-friendly highway in the area was dug up for cabling works, forcing cars to park elsewhere.

He is now demanding that the parking wardens reimburse his £30 fine.

Mr Goldie, 62, who has had four tickets in the past year, said: "They continue to approve these residential developments yet continue to ignore the parking needs. There used to be more industrial and employment premises along here but now we have more homes and redundant yellow lines that just make the problem worse."

Fellow resident Peter Saunders, 77, who has lived in the area for 35 years, said: "It is just getting beyond a joke around here and no one else seems to care but the residents. There was a yellow line put down years ago to accommodate a boatyard but it is not needed any more so why they just don't get rid of it, I don't know."

But Southampton City Council officials say the wardens are there to enforce the rules.

A spokesman said: "If people choose to park on double yellow lines they run the risk of being issued with a penalty charge notice. Parking wardens do not work nine to five but operate on a 24-hour basis.

"There are also health and safety issues to consider if motorists choose to park on double yellow lines. That is why many of them are there."