Police are investigating reports that nails and screws are being used to damage the tyres of cars parking near a Suffolk primary school to drop off and pick up children.

A number of reports of criminal damage to vehicles parked along All Saints Road in Creeting St Mary near Creeting St Mary Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School have been made to Suffolk police since January.

In the latest episode in a long running dispute about parking near the school, nails and screws were last week allegedly placed sharp end up along the road.

The parish council is looking at ways to help solve the problemThe parish council is looking at ways to help solve the problem (Image: Google Maps)

Problems over parking outside schools has been seen in other parts of Suffolk too.

Jennie Blackburn, clerk for Creeting St Mary parish council, said: "Like all rural schools, parking is an issue because whilst lots of children live in the village and walk to school, there are children that live outside of the village. 

"The parish council, for the last five, six, seven years, has been trying to find a piece of land just to try to find something we can make into a car park.

"It is very difficult. This has been an issue for quite a long time and it is frustrating because the parish council wants to help."

The parish clerk said solutions to "alleviate" the problems were ongoing. It is understood the school has staggered drop-off and pick-up times to restrict the amount of cars parked along the road. 

Suffolk police confirmed two car tyres were damaged in May, while between January and May of this year, tyres on one car were targeted on four occasions. 

No arrests have been made and the police with investigation is ongoing. 

Parking outside school gates is a prominent issue across the county. 

Suffolk police were made aware of parking issues at Westfield Primary Academy in Haverhill earlier this year. 

Bollards to prevent people from parking on the paving outside the school have been broken due to people parking there, according to Haverhill Town councillor Pat Hanlon.

Ipswich Borough Council has previously sent letters to parents to combat the issue, while drop-off zones outside of other schools have also been proposed in Thurston.