Travellers living “for free” on a Coverack car park while locals get charged has been described as “appalling.”

Jill Bosustow visited St Keverne Parish Council last Thursday, saying she felt local people were being “victimised.”

She and her husband had parked in the Cornwall Council-owned car park ahead of a funeral and, running late, had not bought a ticket. On their return they found a parking fine. She accepted this outcome but questioned how it was fair when travellers in the car park were not fined.

Mrs Bosustow attempted to appeal the fine, writing to Cornwall Council to say: “Why should I be issued with a parking fine when other vehicles in the same car park, with people living in there, who have been there for a long time, have not been issued one?”

The appeal failed, with the council replying: “The fact that other vehicles may have been parked in contravention with the restrictions would not grant you exemption.”

Mrs Bosustow said she felt victimised, adding: “Travellers say they’re being victimised but we are, because we’re the ones that pay our rates. It’s well known they go to the toilets down there and take the water from there for free. What do they contribute to the community?”

She wanted to know if anyone else had been fined at the car park, describing it as “a sore subject.”

Council chairman Russell Peters said she had raised “a very serious point,” saying: “This council has fought ever since they have been on this car park. The authority |has taken no notice of our |communication.

“Quite frankly I think it’s appalling. You consider these people have been here four or five years – they have contributed nothing.”

He added Coverack was “just being forgotten.”

Councillor Bill Frisken said he could remember a local car being taken from the car park and crushed, but the travellers were not even fined.

He added that mobile toilets were delivered on a regular basis by Cornwall Council, for the benefit of the travellers, and said: “Presumably we pay that on our rates.”

Councillor Anthony Richards said: “Perhaps we should make it a New Year’s resolution that we finally resolve the problem of travellers in the car park.”

Mr Peters asked clerk Grace Hatton to write a “very strong letter” to Cornwall Council in support of Mrs Bosustow and highlight the “injustice” over the way she had been treated.

Cornwall Councillor Pam Lyne said later she understood the travellers were paying some money and the reason they had not been moved was the council had nowhere to relocate them to.

However, there was now “two sites in mind,” with two landowners prepared to have their land used. A planning application was now pending.