A PHOTO showing two police cars parked in parent and child bays at Asda Winsford has sparked an online debate.

A Facebook group that highlights bad parking in Cheshire posted the picture on Tuesday.

The post was shared more than 400 times, with comments showing a clear divide in opinion.

Sarah Preston said: “One rule for one and one rule for another.”

Tom Bradfield said: “If they weren't on a job they should get reprimanded.”

However, many Facebook users were quick to point out the officers may have been responding to an emergency situation.

Julie May Barton said: “So it's better to inconvenience the public/staff who might be getting threatened by someone being violent our aggressive in the store?

“We don't know the circumstances, but parking in a parent and child space isn't going to cause anyone significant harm.

“Circling the car park looking for a space to park appropriately (therefore wasting time), or parking dangerously in front of the store (where there are more pedestrians) could.

“People just love to slag the police off... Until they need them one day.”

Grant Clayton pointed out a very practical reason why the officers may have had to park in the parent and child bays.

He said: “They need to open the doors fully to get offenders in the back. Normal space wouldn't allow enough room. Only parent and child spaces have enough room for that.”

A spokesman for Cheshire Police confirmed this is often a reason why police officers would park in parent and child bays.

“When officers are called to incidents in town centre locations they try to park their vehicles as considerately as possible, having regard for the access and needs of other road users and pedestrians,” the spokesman said.

“There are occasions when officers need to park as closely or practically as possible.

"This might be to allow the full opening of doors if a suspect or offender needs to be placed in the back of the vehicle, for example.

“Whilst we do not know the circumstances relating to this particular image, given the absence of a time or date, this is likely to have been the case here.

"Further enquiries are taking place.”