A SUPERMARKET giant has been warning drivers they could be fined... for parking in a car park the company has “no jurisdiction over”.

A number of motorists who park in the long-stay car park close to Haddington’s Tesco store received warning letters earlier this month.

The letters, from Tesco Customer Services in Dundee, claimed vehicles had “stayed in the car park over the maximum limit” and the supermarket could issue a parking charge notice.

However, a spokeswoman for East Lothian Council stressed that the long-stay car parked belonged to the local authority and that Tesco had “no jurisdiction over it”.

“Therefore, they may not issue drivers with a fine, however long they park there,” said the spokeswoman.

Tesco failed to comment but one motorist who complained about the notice did receive an email from a company called Highview Parking Limited saying: “After reviewing our data . . . we have decided to cancel this notice and no further action is to be taken. We apologise sincerely for any inconvenience caused.” Drivers are not allowed to park for extended periods in Tesco’s own short-stay car park, which is located between its Haddington store and the council’s long-stay car park.

One motorist who wrongly received a warning letter said: “I can only think that when Tesco refurbished its car park recently that the cameras which record how long people park in the short-stay car park were wrongly pointed at the adjacent long-stay car park too.”