A traffic warden was spotted parking an unmarked car on double yellow lines in Sidcup in order to issue a ticket.

The female civil enforcement officer parked the black Ford Fiesta in St John's Road next to the Travelodge while two other CEOs sat behind tinted windows in the back seat.

She was seen to issue a ticket to another vehicle before leaving.

Martin Peaple, 25, of Mallard Walk, Sidcup, snapped a picture of the warden’s car.

The Tesco stock controller said: “It’s disgusting, they should not be parked there.

“To me it’s very wrong sneaking around in plain cars parking illegally to issue penalty charge notices to others doing the same.

“I thought the idea of CEOs and traffic enforcement is to make the roads a safer place and to discourage people from parking illegally, not to sneak around and issue as many PCNs as possible.”

A Bexley Council spokesman defended the warden’s actions during the incident on June 6 at 9pm.

He said: “Any vehicle authorised to carry out statutory duties on behalf of the local authority is exempt from restrictions on waiting and loading provided that it is not parked dangerously or obstructing other road users.

“The vehicle in question was a hire vehicle which was being properly used to carry out parking enforcement duties while the usual liveried vehicle was undergoing repairs, having been towed to a garage.

“Although the hired vehicle was not displaying the standard livery, we can confirm that the hire vehicle had been issued with the necessary dispensation papers in order to carry out this duty.

“This matter has now been reviewed by parking services and the council is satisfied that the hire vehicle was parked in the most logical position to carry out enforcement without causing an obstruction or affecting the safety of the parking attendant issuing the penalty charge notice.”