TRADERS who arrived to set up their stalls at Devizes market last Thursday were annoyed to find no fewer than five cars parked in the Market Place, despite signs warning them not to.

Although three drove off almost immediately, a large brand new silver Volvo and a rather older F-reg Volvo 340, trailing grass and weeds from its bumpers and doors, were left and stall holders had to work around them to erect their stalls.

The driver of the new Volvo turned out to be Hannu Lahteenmaki, a businessman from Devizes' Finnish twin town of Tornio, here with his family as guests of the Devizes-Tornio Twinning Association. He had hired the Volvo to take his family around the area.

He was in for a shock when he turned up at around 9.30am and had to manoeuvre for about ten minutes before he could get out, braving the curses of traders and customers.

He said: "How was I to know? We arrived in the town at 10.15pm the previous night and I couldn't see the signs. They are only small and in the dark very difficult to see."

Bill Palmer, who has run his china stall at the Thursday market for 18 months had a more long-term problem. The Volvo 340, which had apparently been abandoned, meant he could not erect his stall and he had to make do with putting out a selection of his wares on the tables, with no canopy over them.

He said: "They should do what happens at every other market I go to. They should tow the cars away."

Mark Smith, Kennet's environment and amenities manager, said that the council sets out a number of large yellow bollards on Wednesday afternoons, warning motorists not to park overnight on a Wednesday.

He said: "In addition to this there are eight permanent signs in the Market Place that clearly state no parking on a Thursday.

"We have recently experienced incidents of cars being inconsiderately left in the Market Place on market day.

"Unfortunately, Kennet has no towing vehicles suitable for the removal of such nuisance vehicles."