POLICE are ordering the filming of parents who park too close to school gates - and then handing them fines.

Officers in Pendle have launched the crackdown in response to people putting children's safety at risk by blocking the entrances to schools during the school run.

They are using Parkwise wardens to take digital photographs of the offending cars and registration plates and then tracking down the owners and fining them £30.

Last week the Lancashire Telegraph revealed that Lancashire County Council bosses want to make parking on zig-zag markings punishable by a £60 fine issued by their wardens.

They said parents at the county's 686 schools had kept ignoring the markings, putting children's safety at risk, as the warning carried no realistic threat of punishment.

Zig-zag lines are advisory and only carry the threat of punishment if a police officer judges that a motorist is causing an obstruction.

But officers have rarely been able to devote time to patrol areas around schools to catch those blocking roads.

So now police in Colne are using their colleagues from Parkwise to patrol for them and then hand over the evidence.

Sgt John Fryer said: "We have the power to issue fines if we believe people are causing an obstruction, but unfortunately we don't always have the time or the manpower to catch people in the act. Because of this we came up with the idea of asking Parkwise to act for us and take pictures using their digital cameras and hand the evidence to us. Then we send an officer round and explain why someone is being fined.

"Most people pay up once they see the evidence against them and it is surprising how quickly people stop parking inconsiderately when word gets round."

County council bosses are starting the move to change by-laws, which is expected to cost £90,000 in administration costs, and make zig-zag markings mandatory.

That will enable parking wardens, who have more time to patrol communities looking for parking offences than police, to stage regular crackdowns around schools.