A new parking machine is out of order – just a couple of weeks after it was fitted.

Watford Borough Council has been forced to put a cover over one of the new machines at Cassiobury Park.

At this stage, it is unconfirmed whether it was deliberately vandalised or whether it was broken in an accident.

However, the keypad appears to have been tampered with, scratched or even possibly burnt in some way causing the stickers on the keypad to come away.

Watford Observer:

It looks like the machine has been messed with deliberately

The council only became aware of the issue on Monday and believe the machine was broken over the weekend.

The parking machine is new after the council introduced parking charges at the park for the first time ever, which came into effect on May 7.

Watford Observer:

The first two hours remain free but visitors will have to pay £2 to stay for two to three hours, £3 for three to four hours, £4 for four to five hours, or £5 for five to six hours. The maximum stay is six hours. Charges apply seven days a week.

However, following work in the area, the capacity of the car park has increased from 132 spaces to 213.

Another parking machine is available for drivers to collect a ticket from at the front of the car park. No date has been set on when the machine will be repaired.

Watford Observer:

This machine is still in order