Exploding parking meters hit sleepy Sussex town

Since new parking restrictions were introduced - some say imposed - in Lewes in September 2004, there has been a remarkable backlash in which a group of vigilantes and vandals have been blowing up the newly installed meters.

So far there have been more than 200 attacks in which 35 of the town's 96 meters have been written off, while repairs have been needed on a further 170 machines at a total cost of £300,000. The covert bombers have used a variety of devices ranging from simple bangers and powerful crow scarers, to a mix of firework explosives that have scrambled the innards of the meters.

In the latest incident, which happened in the past month, two machines were blown up.

In response to the attacks the local county and district councils are offering a joint £5,000 reward to catch the culprits, and this week launched a publicity campaign called "exploding parking meters - a threat to your safety".