Motorists parking illegally on double yellow lines are escaping tickets - because of leaves part-covering the road markings.

Canterbury City Council admits traffic wardens have been told not to target vehicles where lines have been obscured by the autumn fall.

Drivers appear to have twigged on to the lax rules outside St Stephen's Primary, with parents routinely parking on double yellows.

Despite the lines being visible through the foliage, the authority says it fears having to overturn tickets if they are appealed.

One parent says he challenged traffic wardens twice last week about their inaction and was left stunned when told of the reason.

“I genuinely couldn’t believe it,” he said.

“The lines are clearly visible through the leaves and the parents know they are there, but the wardens said they couldn’t do anything about it.

"It’s ridiculous. The lines are there to stop vehicles parking in a place which makes it unsafe for our children to cross the road.

"So to allow drivers to flout the rules because of a technicality is outrageous.”

School head teacher Stuart Pywell says parking outside the school has long-been an issue, but he can understand the council’s concerns.

“I have to say the enforcement officers who do attend are pretty decent and don’t issue tickets willy-nilly unless someone has abandoned the car,” he said.

“It sounds to me like the council are just taking a pragmatic approach to this issue of leaves covering the double yellow lines.

“But perhaps if the leaves were cleared up, there wouldn’t be a problem.”

City council spokesman Rob Davies has called on motorists to stop “falling back on technicalities”.

“It is correct that we cannot enforce parking restrictions when the lines are not visible,” he said.

“A penalty charge notice issued in these circumstances would be challengeable and we would be in danger of losing at appeal.

“Of course, when it comes to dangerous parking at the school gate, parents should be doing the responsible thing and leaving the school zig-zags and yellow lines clear for the safety of the children, rather than falling back on technicalities such as there being leaves on the lines in order to flout the rules.”

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