Beach hut owners in South Devon are protesting at the local council's plans to ban all-day parking at Preston Sands in Paignton.

A petition, containing more than 200 signatures, is to be considered at a Torbay Council meeting on Thursday.

Beach hut owners are worried that a new three-hour restriction will mean they effectively no longer have use of their huts all day.

A Torbay Council spokesperson said the decision to limit parking was taken after complaints about people abusing the all-day parking available on Marine Drive and Marine Parade.

Petition considered

"Traffic regulation orders, reducing waiting time to a maximum three-hour stay, were to be implemented this year in the summer," she said.

"However, following objections from beach hut users, the signs to enforce the order were not erected until the beach hut users were able to draw up a petition for consideration by the council."

Paddy Wyatt, who owns a hut at Preston Sands, explained that most of the hut owners were elderly.

"Restricting the parking is a problem as a lot of them aren't able to walk very much and this is their refuge," she said.