Neighbours are furious after their cramped road became a "car park" for people visiting a nearby hospital.

Wellside Close, Barnet, has been plagued with drivers taking advantage of the street's free parking when visiting Barnet General Hospital.

Cars often park on both sides of the narrow road, which gives other vehicles little to no room to pass without causing serious damage.

Refuse trucks are often unable to weave through to pick up rubbish bins and householders, and fear an ambulance or a fire engine would get stuck at the top.

Lyn Loizou, 52, said: “It’s a free for all. We’re in an impossible situation. They do what they want and leave a trail of destruction.

“They don’t care how dangerous it is. If there was a fire or someone got sick, we wouldn’t stand a chance at all.

“Someone will end up dying in their house – that’s for sure.

“Our cats roam around in the road too, it’s a wonder they’re still in one piece.

“We’re often left picking up the pieces of our cars when they are hit. My car has been damaged four times and sometimes, people have parked so close to me I’ve not been able to get out.”

Parking at the NHS-run hospital, which is a five-minute walk away from Wellside Road in Wellhouse Lane, costs £10 per day.

Mrs Loizou added: “I know paying to park at the hospital is extortionate, but it’s not our problem.

“We want to have our lovely street back, but at the moment it’s chaotic and could end up costing us our lives.”

In a desperate attempt to find parking, some have gone as far as removing the bollards blocking the green in the middle of the road and leaving their cars there.

Chabby Chabala, an inventor, said: “They treat it like a car park. It is bedlam. It has become very difficult for us to live our lives.

“Some people block my driveway in so I can’t even leave my own house when I want to. It’s crazy.

“We’ve tried to reason with some of them but they are always so rude to us, there’s nothing we can do. They are very selfish.”

Davey Peacock’s mother, Alexandra Peacock, left her silver Mazda unlocked outside her house a few weeks ago. When she looked outside, the pair were horrified to see it was no longer in the place she had parked it hours earlier.

It then emerged someone had entered the car and pulled the handbrake down to move it a few yards down the street, to free up an extra parking space.

Mr Peacock, 25, said: “It’s a complete disgrace. How dare someone do something like that? We were so shocked.

“We just want our road back.”

A statement from Barnet Borough Council said it hopes to introduce parking restrictions in September.

It added: “We are aware of the concerns regarding Wellside Close and officers are proposing to introduce waiting restrictions to deter obstructive parking.

“We anticipate a statutory consultation taking place over the summer with a view to introducing the restrictions in September.”