A WEST FIFE man has called for the final whistle to be blown on football fans parking at Dunfermline Cemetery during Pars home matches.

James Penman, of Rosyth, has threatened to control access himself after getting fed up of constant foul parking.

He goes to the cemetery regularly to pay his respects to his late daughter, father and grandfather and is sick of the regular access problems every other Saturday afternoon which he says is getting worse.

"It has been happening for years and years – people abandoning their cars there," he said. "In winter time, they park on the grass and it all gets ripped up.

"I was there as my daughter is in there and my dad and my grandad. 

"When they are playing at home you expect it. They park on the main bits going in normally but when I went this week, you couldn't get out the cemetery because cars were blocking every road.

"There was only one road we could get in but we couldn't get back out, a guy was abandoning his car. I asked him to move and he said it wasn't his problem.

"If there was to be a funeral on a Saturday, I'm almost sure that a hearse would not get in. I struggled to get my car in without driving on the grass.

"I have complained before but it falls on deaf ears. A few years ago, I spoke to the police about it and they said it is a public road so they can park there but they will tow them if they are blocking the access. It is wrong. They shouldn't be parking there."

James said he has been shocked at the attitude of the football fans when challenged about their parking choice.

"I take my kids up to visit their sister and they were with me in the car on Saturday," he explained.

"My 16-year-old son was in the front and he rolled down the window and said to them they shouldn't be parking there, it's a cemetery and there are plenty of other car parks about. They just said get onto everyone else parking there.

"If a 16-year-old boy knows it is wrong, they should.

"Dunfermline say they provide a car park at the back and they can't really do anything about it.

"To be honest, I said to my partner that at the next home game, I am going to stand at the gate and I am going to put a chain on the gate and stop them from being there.

"I know it sounds daft but they shouldn't be there. There's a lot of older people who go up there and they can't get in for all the football fans."

Alan Paul, senior manager at Fife Council, said: “We’re aware that there have been parking issues at Dunfermline Cemetery on match days and are working with Dunfermline Athletic Football Club to address."