A BEMUSED motorist who nearly drove into a lone pole which sprang up overnight in a Marlow car park has criticised the council for not marking it more clearly.

The Marlow Free Press reader, who asked not to be named, was dropping her children off at Court Garden Leisure centre for a weekly lesson when she encountered the 12ft-high metal menace.

And narrowly avoiding an accident with the camouflaged grey pole, which sits inside the entrance to Pound Lane, she asked why the council had not alerted people to its sudden presence.

She said: "On my weekly visit to Court Garden this week, nearly drove into what can only be described as a near miss parking hazard.

"What daft council contractor decided to erect a pole in the middle of the entrance to a public car park without putting up a warning sign or any hazard tape!

"I nearly drove into on my visit. Maybe WDC think their new car parking system soon to be installed needed a couple of accidents to put it on the front page.

"I should imagine that it won't be long before someone obliges!"

Wycombe District Council, which operates the car park, said the rogue pole is part of the new automated barrier system currently being rolled out across town.

Spokesman Nick Sykes said: "The pole in question is part of the new parking system which is currently being installed. The contractor did place some barriers around the pole, but we have found that some people have been interfering with barriers and hole covers.

"We have replaced the missing barriers whilst works are being finished off, which will include new bollards.

"We apologise for any inconvenience whilst works are in progress."