Daphne Hardwick takes the numbers of cars parked in Christ Church car park Picture Ref: 77356-20EVERYONE is welcome into God's church but not necessarily into his car park.

Following months of parking problems at Christ Church in Old Town, staff are vowing to get tough on persistent offenders who use the car park for free and without permission.

Clamping is now under serious consideration after all other approaches have failed.

In one recent case a hearse was blocked in by a parked car, holding up a funeral.

Daphne Hardwick, one of the wardens at Christ Church, said: "We have tried a softly approach, and then a not so softly approach using leaflets but these persistent drivers are not listening and we feel we need to take some sort of action."

A few drivers have made donations to the church and have been given permission to park there.

But others are leaving their cars there all day for free.

Church staff are making lists of persistent offenders, detailing the cars which routinely park without permission, and even posting notices on them stating that the church car park is not public.

Ms Hardwick said: "These drivers are making it difficult for visitors to the church and we are particularly concerned about our elderly and disabled visitors trying to attend church and church hall events. They simply cannot find anywhere to park."

Now Ms Hardwick and members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) are looking into the possibility of clamping those parking without prior permission.

Recent legislation, under the Private Security Act 2001, says that clampers cannot clamp without a licence.

But Ms Hardwick said the church has already received quotations from one licensed clamping firm which operates similar schemes in churches and hospitals.

"This is not something we want to do, but these drivers who persist in parking up in church car park are preventing its use by churchgoers, the elderly and disabled," she said.

"We know who the persistent offenders are."

The Rev Simon Steven-ette, vicar of Christ Church, said: "I've talked it through with our church wardens. I'm very support-ive of what they are doing.

"It is the last resort as we welcome people visiting the church. But people who have come to visit graves have been unable to find spaces. "

John Lloyd, spokesman for the Diocese of Bristol of which Christ Church is a part said the problem was one facing many churches.

"Unfortunately for these drivers the nature of church life has changed. Gone are the days when church car parks were only busy at the weekend and the odd funeral during the week.

"Now churches are regularly being used for events such as concerts," he said. But taking a decision like this is very much down to the individual church and I am sure that full legislation will be followed."

Luke Bosdet, spokesman for the AA Motoring Trust, said: "We feel great sympathy for churches and pubs which are trying to protect their parking from the selfish motorist.

"However we would suggest possibly looking at other alternatives first, such as barriers and gates, because quite often, introducing clamping can backfire."

Anthony Osborne