SOUTHEND Council is to remove illegal double yellow lines which mysteriously appeared in the road outside Leigh’s Grand Hotel.

The lines appear to be designed to deter neighbours from parking by the entrance to local landmark and the council has promised to remove any illegal markings The Grand is being brought back to life by nightclub entrepreneur Michael Norcross, a onetime member of the cast of the TV show, the OnlyWay is Essex.

Neighbours say the lines not only prevent the hotel entrance being blocked, but are also keeping drivers out of designated spaces.

Leighton Avenue resident Yve Collins said: “Parking in the road is a nightmare anyway, but this has just exacerbated the problem.

“I’m disabled and need a taxi.

They nowhave to stop in the middle of the road and let me out, which causes a queue back on to the Broadway.”

Another Leighton Avenue resident, who asked not to be named, said: “You can tell the lines are not legal.

“I even had a friend staying at the weekend. They didn’t know the situation and even they said to me that they looked odd.”

As well as the lines the hotel entrance is blocked by a chain, with a hand-written sign, which says “No parking. Site now open 24 hours”.

A third Leighton Avenue resident said: “They are illegal.

"There is no timing plate and no notification it was going to happen.

“The lines are uneven and blotchy, it looks like they were poorly painted with gaffer tape and brushes – why should they be allowed to get away with it?”

Cheryl Hindle-Terry, the council official responsible for parking in the borough said her officers had visited the site.

Confirming the lines would be removed, she added: “These would not have been enforceable, because they are not part of an official traffic order.

“It is an offence under section 132 of the Highways Act to put down yellow lines illegally like this.

“We have explained to the developer it would need to apply for a temporary traffic order if it wanted parking restrictions in that area.”

Mr Norcross declined to comment about the lines when approached by the Echo.