Residents are baffled after council contractors painted a stretch of double yellow lines - just 21 inches long.



Motorists will be fined £50 or £70 if they park on the lines in Canterbury, Kent, which aren't even big enough to park a skateboard.



Locals say they cannot understand why their council has painted in the "ridiculous" lines.



Nearby homeowner Charlotte Sparrow, 26, said: "I can't believe the council would bother to paint yellow lines that short and then warn drivers that they face fines over for parking over something you can hardly see.



"It's petty rules and regulations gone mad."



But Canterbury City Council, which painted the lines, said they are crucial for separating different parking areas.



Bob Pollard, council street enforcement manager, said: "The lines are in a small gap that separates the 20-minute restrictions and residents' pay and display parking bays.



"If a vehicle is parked over the yellow lines, the driver could incur one of two penalties, primarily not parking within the confines of a parking space or technically for parking in a restricted street during prescribed hours.



"The lines were placed to differentiate between the two different types of parking bay and avoid confusion.



"We would request drivers take care when parking and keep within the lines of the parking bays. By parking correctly this will prevent them receiving a penalty charge notice.



"And we would request drivers take care when parking, read the signs that apply to the parking bay and keep within the lines of the parking bays."



The shortest recorded yellow lines in the UK are in a street in Norwich and measure 17 inches.











































