PEOPLE living in a Worcester street are facing “parking chaos” after the city council closed a car park used by visitors to St John’s Cemetery.

The large asphalt area in front of the former sexton’s house on McIntyre Road is being sold along with the three-bedroom detached house and has now been labelled as private property.

The area, which has space for about 15 cars, has been used as an auxiliary car park for at least 12 years. Now drivers are being warned their cars will be clamped if they park there.

People living on McIntyre Road, which leads to the cemetery, said the problem was highlighted during a funeral last week when dozens of cars parked outside their homes and elderly people were forced to park some distance from the cemetery.

Julie Paterson, who has lived in the street for four years, said the removal of the car park caused “total chaos”.

The 45-year-old occupational therapist said: “There has been no consultation or communication with the residents.

"The ‘no parking’ notices just appeared overnight. It would have been nice if the council had let us know what was going on.

She said: “There was a funeral last week which caused total chaos as people tried to park and realised they couldn’t. The cemetery itself was full so cars were parked all along McIntyre Road, some across houses preventing vehicle access.

“Elderly people were struggling to walk the long distance from where they had to park to the cemetery and vehicles were trying to perform three-point turns in the road, which is very narrow.

“We feel the removal of the car park area will turn our road into one giant car park for everyone except residents.”

Andrew King, aged 36, who also lives in McIntyre Road, said: “Even the hearse was struggling to get down the road due to the amount of cars on each side.

It is only going to get worse nearer Christmas.”

Pat Turner, of Great Ayton, near Middlesbrough, a former assistant dean at Teeside University, regularly visits her son and daughter-in-law.

Mrs Turner, 65, said: “It is much more difficult to find a parking space and with the Christmas holidays coming up it is going to be impossible for guests to find somewhere to park.”

The property formerly housed the cemetery caretaker but has been empty for two years. Residents now fear the land will be sold to developers.

Andrew Harding, estates and valuation manager at the council, said the area was not a public car park and had only been made “available” for cemetery visitors. Mr Harding said: “The parking was only made available for people using the cemetery but now the area is involved in the sale of the house.

“There are no plans for alternative parking provision.

"People visiting the cemetery will have to park inside it or on the roads and streets nearby.”

The house will be auctioned by Griffith and Charles estate agents at Worcester Rugby Club, Pershore Lane, next Wednesday at 6pm.