SHOPPERS face sanctions after Tesco hired parking wardens to monitor its car park.

Customer Terry Dennis has already fallen foul of the new regime, and been given a £30 fine for poor parking at the High Woods store.

Mr Dennis said he had never seen wardens operating at the store and was surprised to get the fine.

He said: “It was for parking outside the white lines and I admit I had done it. I have always parked like that, but only in an area of the car park where there are not many cars.

“I was surprised because there was no warning and I just wanted to let other drivers know as they might not be expecting it.”

Tesco said it had brought in private companies to monitor its car parks when there have been problems.

A spokesman said measures were usually put in place in their town centre stores, or those near to railways stations where commuters may try to leave their cars all day.

Although the High Woods branch is out of town and a long walk from Colchester North Station, spokesman Adam Fisher said enforcement was still needed.

He said barriers were formerly used to fence off the disabled and parent and child parking spaces at the store so staff could make sure other drivers did not park there.

These were removed as bosses decided it would be more straightforward to employ wardens to keep an eye on the whole car park.

Mr Fisher said: “When the barriers were removed there was a need to control the parking in some way.

“A private specialist firm has now been employed to patrol the car parks, which we think is an improvement.”