Traffic wardens have been caught red-handed parking illegally on one side of a street to issue tickets to cars on the other.

The officers were operating in Longridge Avenue, Saltdean, which sits on the border between two councils - the city of Brighton and Hove and East Sussex.

The west side is policed by city parking attendants while the east side is patrolled by traffic wardens from Sussex Police.

Motorists parking on the west risk getting a ticket while those on the east usually get away scot-free.

On Friday two attendants from Brighton and Hove parked their car on yellow lines on the eastern side and then crossed the road to issue tickets to cars parked on the west.

The latest twist in the tale of the parking fiasco has enraged local businesses, who accused the authority of operating double standards.

Kevin Reid who owns Jazz Barbers said: "This is out of order. The wardens parked illegally themselves and then issued tickets to people on the other side of the road for doing no more than they were doing."

Longridge Avenue has been the scene of territorial disputes for almost three years.

In 2000, residents on the west side were told they would have to pay more council tax to the city council than those living on the east, who came under Lewes District Council, East Sussex County Council and Telscombe Cliffs Council.

Last year we highlighted how, because of the disparity in the number of traffic wardens between the two authorities, motorists could park on the east side without getting a ticket while those on the west were likely to be targeted.

Brighton and Hove employs hundreds of parking attendants while there are only four for the Lewes district, which covers Saltdean.

Mr Reid said: "We watched what they did in disbelief. It really gets up your nose."

Last night, the city council said it had taken the matter up with NCP which operates the parking attendants.

A spokeswoman said: "They are allowed to park for short periods of time in order to enforce parking regulations. But they should not do that if there is legal parking within a reasonable distance."