SHOPPERS were stunned when a police car was left in a supermarket's disabled parking spaces.

The vehicle was parked directly in front of a disabled-only parking sign at Sainsbury's, Hardman Way, Darwen, at 9.45am on Thursday.

One disabled shopper saw the car as he was searching for a parking space and described the actions of the police as disgraceful'.

But police defended their actions, and said they had been called to a theft at the store, which required an immediate response.

Michael Firth, 60, from Darwen, who has had his left leg amputated, said: "I always go shopping every Thursday morning in Darwen Sainsbury's.

"When I went shopping this Thursday I saw the police car in the disabled bay in the car park as I was driving my car, looking for a parking space.

"I understand the police have a job to do but I think it is disgraceful, they have not only parked in a disabled parking space but the police car was parked in front of a sign that clearly stated it was a disabled parking bay.

"I have a disability and use the disability spaces because they are in easy reach of the shop.

"There was another disabled space available for me but if this is the attitude of the police then how do you expect the people to respect parking regulations?"

A police spokesperson said: "We can confirm that police were actively pursuing a man after a theft from the store. The incident warranted an immediate response in order to identify the offender and recover the property, which had been stolen. The police officer had parked in the nearest available space to the store in order to follow up immediate inquiries.

"All officers are instructed to park within the law where possible and if these guidelines are breached, management action will be taken. In this particular instance, the officer will be spoken too, to fully clarify the matter." Frank Almond, store manager at Sainsbury's Darwen, said: "The police were responding to an incident.

"I believe there are circumstances where it would be necessary for police to park in these spaces but as a general rule and for general use disabled parking spaces should only used by disabled badge holders."