A TV company illegally prevented residents from parking in a Brislington street.

On Wednesday, the night before filming, a security guard from a private firm set out yellow cones along Sandy Park Road where parking is free between 6pm and 8am.

Drivers were warned their cars would be towed if they were not moved by 5am the next day.

SRM security is employed by Touchpaper TV – an independent production company commissioned by the BBC to make a new comedy Being Human.

But the company did not get permission from Bristol City Council to order residents at such short notice.

And one resident claimed a security van was parked outside all night to ensure cars were not blocking the way for film crews.

Tracey Birchall, 30, who lives in Sandy Park Road, usually parks in one of the unrestricted bays overnight. She said: "We have had no warning of this, there was no letter put through our door.

"If I hadn't gone out and seen the security guard putting the cones out I would have left my car there and then woken up in the morning wondering where it had gone.

"The BBC must have known when they would have been filming there. All it would have taken was to put a simple letter through the door.

"Apparently they are filming a comedy show, but it is not very funny for us."

Student Ellie Lenton, 21, of Brislington, works in a shop on Sandy Park Road. She said: "They came in to tell us on Tuesday or Wednesday.

"The man was nice enough and it doesn't really affect us – it's more the residents. But I did ask him if they had told everyone who needed to know and gone through the right procedures."

Butcher Paul Moss, 60, from Headley Park, added: "I noticed all the cars parked up by us in the morning. It makes it difficult for deliveries."

Kate Hartas of Bristol City Council said: "The council is investigating a complaint regarding a production company – Touchpaper TV – and their contractor SRM security.

"The method and timescale applied to remove parked cars and prepare the street for filming was not agreed by the council.

"The production company will be served with an improvement notice to ensure this does not happen again."

Although the council would not comment further, it did confirm that Touchpaper TV would have paid just £43 to suspend parking.

Applications by film companies must go through the council's Parking Services department through the Bristol Film Office.

Hayley Bushell, a spokeswoman for Touchpaper TV, said: "We accept that errors were made and have taken action to prevent them from happening again.

"Normally, the production team would letter drop. However, given the lateness of the decision to film at this location, it was not possible. Hence the posting of security personnel where bays were to be suspended.

"The security firm hired by Touchpaper TV provided residents with inaccurate information – they were asked to simply inform residents of the following morning's suspension."