THIS police car was caught on camera parked on double yellow lines while, a passer-by said, its occupants visited a cash point and nearby shop.

Worcester News reader Luke Jennings spotted the police car illegally parked near Tesco Express in Brindley Road, Warndon Villages, Worcester.

Since being shown the pictures, Central Motorway Police have launched an investigation.

Mr Jennings took these photographs using his mobile phone camera. They clearly show the car parked illegally with its hazard warning lights flashing and the boot open for the passenger to put in a shopping bag.

The 23-year-old, of St John’s, who was on his way home from work at about 5pm on Tuesday, June 10, said the pair then sat in the car talking and only drove off when he tried to take a photograph at the front of the vehicle.

“I thought something was happening so I drove back and saw the policeman standing in the queue at the cash point,” he said. “I parked in the spaces outside Tesco – there were plenty of places to park.

“The hazard warning lights were flashing and the car was parked pretty close to the mouth of the junction. He went back to the car where he talked to another man in civilian clothes, who was wearing a reflective vest.

“The policeman sat in the car and waited. The other man went off for a few minutes and returned with a shopping bag. They both put the bag in the boot and got in the car. They sat in the car and were talking. They were there for at least 10 minutes.”

Mr Jennings said that while the police Volvo estate was illegally parked several parents and toddlers were attempting to cross the road in front of it as they left the nearby Leapfrog Day Nursery.

“Their vision of the oncoming traffic was obstructed by the police vehicle,” said Mr Jennings.

“I have got friends in the police who do a great job and it is a career I strongly considered for myself “One of the reasons I was put off joining the police is because they are not respected and this is a good example of why. It is a real shame.”

A spokesman for Central Motorway Police confirmed that the Volvo was one of its cars and said there would be a thorough investigation into the matter.

“We do not condone officers breaching road traffic regulations. We are there to uphold the law and not set a bad example. We will be carrying out a thorough investigation because we do not know why the officers decided to park there,” he said.