Robin AdamsTRAFFIC warden Robin Adams is facing such a daily barrage of abuse that police have warned they will come down hard on anyone who threatens or swears at him.

Mr Adams has revealed this week that he is subjected on an almost daily basis to a tirade of insults and has had cars driven at him.

On Monday Marlborough's new area police commander Insp Jerry Dawson told the town council that the jibes against the warden had to stop or police would act.

Part of the problem, Mr Adams said, was that there was no traffic warden patrolling for more than a year before he took the post up in July.

Former traffic warden John Bordiss left the job the previous year to become the town's first police community support officer.

During the 12 months the town was without a warden drivers became used to parking virtually where they liked, said Mr Adams.

Having to conform to regulations has not been easy for many motorists, said Mr Adams, and as a result they have come to think he's to blame.

Some of the worst offenders, he said, were well-dressed and well-spoken women.

Mr Adams said: "In fact I would say that it's mostly women who take this attitude.

"Most of the physical threats I have had have come from men but the majority of the problems come from women drivers."

He said when he advised motorists they were parked illegally and stood a chance of getting tickets he was sworn at.

The warden said: "On one occasion I had a woman driver running up the street trying to get people to take her side against me.

"I have had cars driven at me in the High Street when I have asked the drivers for their name and address."

Mr Adams said he had never been injured but had several near misses. "I have had cars glance off me," he said

Although he does occasional patrols in Pewsey and Devizes, the traffic warden said he only experienced problems from drivers in Marlborough.

He said: "I know it's an emotional thing to get a parking ticket and I make allowances for that but a lot of it is just road rage."

He said motorists have regularly torn up their tickets and thrown them at him. "The stupid thing is they then end up paying more."

He said one of the worst areas for him to patrol was St Martins where residents have become used to parking on the pavements. Mr Adams said he only asked them to move their cars if they were parked on the pavement so a wheelchair or pram could get through.

He said: "One guy became so cross and threatened me with violence so I had to radio for the police to come."

Insp Dawson said he had patrolled with Mr Adams to gauge the extent of the problem for himself.

The Inspector said he had to step in when one person "was expressing their discontent to him that they had been unable to pay a cheque into the bank as the bank was now closed because they had to find a legal parking space".

Insp Dawson said he wanted to make it clear to the public that the warden had the full backing of the police force.