Tight parking restrictions will be in place to ensure vehicles do not block routes in Ottery during Tar Barrels.

Thousands of visitors are expected to arrive over the course of Tuesday to watch the flaming spectacle when it gets underway from 4pm on November 5.

The events organisers announced the main car park off Barrack Road will be closed following heavy rain.

The car park equates to around a quarter of the vehicles attending the event but an additional car park will be available at Otter Garden Centre and Ottery Garden Centre.

Further parking restrictions will be in place along Ridgeway, west side of Kennaway, Bridge Field, Yonder Street, Jesu Street and Mill street, Barrack and Exeter road, Cadhay Lane, Strawberry Lane, all the way through to new buildings on the Fluxton to Tipton St John Road.

Traffic enforcement officers will be patrolling the area and issuing tickets to cars in the area.

Clearways and no parking zones will come into force as of midday tomorrow.

Rob Wickham, event director, said he did not want visitors to panic and arrive early to find spaces within the town.

He said: "All we ask is for people to understand and be patient. We can only get so many in and when that amount is in the car park is closed.

"We need to keep the town clear for there event to run and emergency vehicles to get through.

"If vehicles are parked on any of these areas tickets will be applied. If any vehicle found to cause obstructing a safe passage for emergency vehicles there are likely to be towed away.

"The only restriction is parking. The town does not have massive facilities for thousands of cars. The long and short of it stick by these restrictions and prepare and be aware.

"Do not panic and try to jump in early and abandon ship. That's not what we want."