Local councillors have slammed a letter from a visiting bowler to Tenby who criticised the town and council after receiving a parking ticket, even though he admitted leaving his vehicle in a resident's bay illegally.

Correspondence from Michael James, of Worcestershire, was received by members of the town council at their meeting on Tuesday night, when he informed them of his experience of trying to unload his vehicle while staying at a hotel on The Esplanade, and receiving a parking ticket in the process.

"I will not contest the fine, but I will never come to Tenby again; it soured my stay which was intended to favour Tenby, but ended up doing the opposite," wrote Mr. James, who explained that he was in town for three nights to make contact with the local bowling club with a view to setting up a sporting bowls tour next year with his local club in Worcestershire.

In further correspondence, Mr. James, a parish councillor for the past 20 years, also sent a letter to the Wales Penalty Processing Partnership, who deal with the parking tickets, stating what a 'mean welcome' from Tenby the fine had greeted him with.

"I'm afraid that was the moment that Tenby town lost all the income that our proposed 2013 bowls tour could have generated for the town, a minimum of £2,000 into the local economy," which will now be going to another bowling club in South West Wales, Mr. James stated.

Responding to the letters, Clr. Paul Rapi said that he found it "rather sad" that Mr. James should jeopardise his fellow bowlers and club's proposed tour, simply because he received a parking ticket.

"He parks illegally and then blames the town of Tenby for the problem," said Clr. Rapi. "We should write a letter back to him telling him that we think he's rather small-minded and that parking offences are not the responsibility of the town council anyway.

"Perhaps we should write to his bowling club in Worcestershire, too, to see what they think of his actions," added Clr. Rapi.

"It's a shame that his club will now miss out on the town's excellent bowling facilities because of him," said Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, with Deputy Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas, adding that he should be informed that it's not the town council that imposes the parking rules, but that everyone has to abide by them anyway.