A COUNCIL on Teesside has appointed a private army of wardens to clamp down on illegal parking.

Stockton Borough Council has appointed Coventry transport company JMP to enforce parking rules across the borough.

The authority, like others across the country, has to adopt new parking and waiting restrictions because of changes in the law.

The changes mean councils will take on many of the duties of traffic wardens.

A spokesman for JMP said the company would soon be carrying out a review of parking laws being enforced in the town.

He said: "Stockton will be creating special parking areas using the new decriminalised parking powers. A wide-ranging brief will be carried out by JMP involving preparation of programme and action plans, reviewing parking requirements and existing parking orders, preparing and submitting designation orders, consultation and appraising finances.