Police have had to be called to a Brighton primary school because of parents’ bad parking.

Police Community Support Officers have been patrolling outside Queen’s Park Primary in Park Street writing down the numbers of dangerously parked vehicles.

Tom Dussek, chairman of school governors, said: “What the [officers] has encountered is pretty shameful.

“The issue of parking continues to be a challenging one, because illegally parked cars are a danger to all of our children as they come in and out of school.

“We now have officers taking the number plates of cars that are illegally and therefore dangerously parked and these then get passed to the police who will follow up and prosecute offenders. Traffic wardens are also issuing tickets to illegally parked cars.

“What’s really disheartening to hear is how abusive some parents have been towards the officers.

“When Queen’s Park School children consistently get complimented on their excellent behaviour, to hear that some of our parents are ‘among the most abusive’ that the officers have ever encountered is pretty shameful.

“These people are there to protect children from serious injury or death as a result of dangerous parking. This is not a trivial matter.

“There are always loads of parking spaces near the school, especially on South Avenue and Freshfield Road. There really is no excuse to park dangerously. Please remember what this is about – the safety of children.”

Natalie Ford’s seven-year-old daughter Lorelei Leachman attends the school.

The 33-year-old, of Kemp Town, said: “I have noticed parents parking badly and it can be dangerous. It is an accident waiting to happen.”

Shelly Leavold, 35, whose six-year-old daughter Lacey is also a pupil at the school added: “We walk but there are often cars parked on double yellow lines.”

Another mother, who asked not to be named, told of other parents shouting at police.

A Sussex Police statement said: “Parking outside schools can often cause a safety issue and we would urge parents to drive responsibly for the children's sake as well as other pedestrians.”