Jetting off to soak up some summer sun? Well, if you happen to be flying from Luton airport, you might want to think very carefully about where you choose to park your car.
Cost-cutting holidaymakers, who decided that the airport's £63.99 ($83.24) weekly parking fee was a tad excessive, are going to be coming back to trashed cars after leaving them parked on a residential street instead.
Some cars have been left on the street for several weeks and so Luton residents have taken matters into their own hands.
Tyres have been slashed, windscreens have been smashed and vehicles have been covered in graffiti expressing the pissed-off residents' anger.
One car had the words 'selfish git' scrawled on the side window, while on the rear window it read: "Too tight to pay for airport parking. No respect 4 Residents."
Credit: Mercury
Advert
Local resident Angela, 37, said: "The owners are going to have a shock when they get back off their holiday.
"They were obviously seen walking off with their cases. Personally, I think this is a little extreme.
"I've heard that the person who wrote on the car did only that - since then the windows have been smashed and the other damage [was] caused by kids.
"The writing looks easily washed off; however, since the writing was done, that then has given whoever the green light to smash it up."
Another resident, Amanda Carnell, reckons kids might be to blame for vandalising the selfishly parked cars.
Credit: Mercury
Advert
Amanda said: "This isn't in my street but I have seen it vandalised for three weeks.
"There are actually two cars that have had their windows smashed, but this is the only one with the paint.
"People using nearby streets [as free parking instead of paying at the airport] is a huge issue in this area. It's much worse on that street, but it's spreading to mine now too.
"I believe the local council are going to start using permits for residents to help combat it. I think you'll probably get two permits per household. We just got a leaflet through the other day.
Credit: Mercury
Advert
"The road's pretty bad anyway because it's on a hill as well, so you can't see if there's cars coming the other way.
"It is a problem, but it certainly doesn't warrant this kind of behaviour. This is why I think it might be children.
"They have probably heard something at home and they don't understand what's going to happen in the future.
"Incidents like this will push up the price of insurance for car owners in the area."
Advert
Words: Paddy Maddison
Topics: Parking, Airport, Cars