SOUTHEND Council is investigating claims a young mum was sworn at and intimidated by gardeners in Chalkwell Park after a parking row.

The mum, who asked not to be named, visited the park on Wednesday morning for a mums and babies fitness class, but as she put her 18-month old into her car she saw a gardener harassing a female motorist.

The 32-year-old from Leigh said: “I go to this informal class for mums.

There are about seven of us and we run round the park with our buggies.

I was just getting ready to leave when I saw a woman drive in the gate.

“She stopped to wait for someone who was pulling out of a bay so she could park there. There were grass cutters who were in Southend Council pickup truck behind her and one started swearing and shouting at her. When he got round her he did a wheelspin round the car park really fast before parking in the gardeners’ area.

“I went over to tell him there were children in the park and he should be driving more carefully. He called me a ‘gobby cow’, so I went to find his manager in the gardeners’ Portacabin. A man there started hollering at me and swearing and asking me what it had to do with me. Then he said, ‘we know who you are’.”

The mum added: “These people shouldn’t be working in the public sector. I felt really intimidated and the lady in the car looked very worried.

If I park there again, I won’t be surprised if I find my car scratched.

“There were about seven of them and three were very abusive, but none of the others told them to be quiet or not to do it. One blond man was very aggressive. They shouldn’t behave like that to the public. It’s disgusting behaviour.”

Nick Harris, the council’s head of culture said: “We are aware of an incident that took place in Chalkwell Park involving some parks and gardens staff and two members of the public, resulting in an official complaint being made to the council.

“Every member of staff represents the council and good customer service is obviously very important to us, and the council does not condone any kind of inappropriate behaviour towards the public.

“We will therefore be investigating this incident and complaint fully, which will include speaking to all the staff involved to get both sides of the story, and taking any appropriate action.”