A KENDAL fishmonger who encouraged an employee to douse a civil enforcement officer with water after he issued a parking ticket has defended his action.

Nik Stirzaker said he encouraged his assistant, Chris Wilson, to throw two buckets of water at the warden in Kendal because he felt he had "unreasonably" targeted a delivery van they were loading outside his Stramongate shop.

Mr Stirzaker said they usually loaded the van around 5am with a full day's deliveries for hotel customers and when the traffic warden came along he put a ticket on the windscreen because the van was parked in an unauthorised area.

Mr Stirzaker said his assistant poured the water on top of the warden's head and the warden said he was calling the police. A second bucket of water was then thrown in his face.

A Cumbria Police spokesman confirmed police had been called, but said the matter was still being investigated and no one had been charged with any offence.

A South Lakeland District Council spokeswoman said the authority was not prepared to comment while the investigation into the incident was ongoing.

For story in full, see the April 18 Westmorland Gazette