Traffic wardens have been accused of "sneaky" tactics after ticketing cars outside people's homes on bank holidays.

Attendants in Newhaven are strictly within their rights to issue the penalty notices but motorists complained last night they had never been fined before on bank holidays - leading them to believe the same exemptions applied as on Sundays.

Eddie Barnes and daughter Sarah are furious after parking attendants ticketed their cars on single yellow lines yesterday.

Carpet fitter Mr Barnes, 48, said: "It's sneaky. I've been living here for 30 years and we've never had this problem on a bank holiday before.

"What's going to happen next - am I going to get nicked for parking my car outside on Christmas Day?"

His neighbours were also stung by fines issued in Norman Road on Good Friday and Bank Holiday Monday.

Single yellow lines in the road mean motorists cannot park from Mondays to Saturdays.

Signs in the street indicate they can use the spaces on Sundays and householders wrongly believed the exemption extended to bank holidays.

The Barnes's windscreens were plastered with tickets yesterday morning.

The family said they had been informed by police officers bank holidays were treated exactly the same as Sundays.

But a spokesman for NCP told The Argus: "It has always been the case in East Sussex that bank holidays are enforced as a normal day.

"The only exceptions are Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

"The reason they do it is because places like Newhaven and Lewes get very, very busy on bank holidays with tourists, so single lines need to be enforced otherwise congested areas become more so.

"People should be aware there will be attendants out and about on bank holidays and our attendants were acting completely appropriately."

But Mr Barnes said he and his neighbours had never had the problem before.

He said: "We're disgusted. It's fair enough during the week but this was a bank holiday.

"The spaces where we can park opposite our house are always full up so when we've got the opportunity to park outside within the law we do.

"I know nobody likes these guys but this seems like they are taking the mickey to me."

A spokeswoman for East Sussex County Council, which employs NCP to run its on-street parking enforcement contract, said: "We will be looking into complaints that tickets have been issued incorrectly.

"It is important that parking enforcement is clear and that wardens are aware of their responsibilities."