A FEMALE traffic warden was told she would "roast in hell" during a confrontation in Co Armagh.
The Department for Infrastructure last night said it would seek further information after video footage showed the young woman being challenged in Portadown over a car parked in a pedestrian zone.
During a heated exchange, as a Free Presbyterian gospel event took place in the town centre, one man asks the traffic attendant if she would "go down the Garvaghy Road and book cars" before telling her "you will roast in hell, that's what will happen to you".
Footage shared on social media shows the traffic warden explaining that the vehicle cannot be parked in the pedestrian zone.
"The car is on an area that is covered by double yellow lines," she says.
As a few people appear to gather around her, the woman asks them to move back.
"If you don't step back from me, I will call the police", she says.
She then radios a colleague and asks "Can I get your assistance on the square please".
Among those to approach the traffic warden is Rev Darryl Abernethy from Bethany Free Presbyterian Church, who introduces himself to her.
He tells her: "You don't disrespect the gospel open air, for two weeks running, we have done this for 40 years".
He tells her that one man with them had parked in the area with "no problem for 40 years", adding that "he was in this town well before you came along".
The traffic attendant then explains to the church minister: "In the last six months these lines have been painted and legislation has come into effect that no cars can be here".
Rev Abernethy says: "We will take up through the relevant authorities".
Another man clutching a bible also can be seen confronting the traffic attendant.
The traffic warden works for NSL, which is contracted by the Department for Infrastructure to carry out parking enforcement duties across Northern Ireland.
In a statement last night, the department said it would be seeking information about what had happened.
"The department has only now become aware of the incident and will seek further information from NSL," a spokeswoman said.
"Traffic attendants have been carrying out parking enforcement duties here for many years and they deserve the same level of respect as any other worker."
Rev Abernethy last night also said in a statement that during 40 years of Bethany Free Presbyterian Church holding open air gospel meetings in the town centre, a car has been parked "for the duration of the meeting".
"Until 25th May 2019 we have never been asked to move the car or been issued with a ticket," he said.
"On Saturday 25th May the open air meeting was interrupted by a young traffic warden and we were told to move the car immediately otherwise it would be ticketed.
"I told the traffic warden we would be finished in five minutes but this didn't satisfy her.
"A conversation ensued and I took the wardens number and told her we would take the matter up with the relevant authorities, which we have.
"If the law has recently been changed in relation to parking restrictions in Portadown town centre we will readily comply with them.
"The incident was secretly recorded and posted online without our knowledge. From the footage we have obtained the individual can be heard cursing the traffic warden, the church and God.
"We are happy to have the matter officially clarified and will abide by any parking restrictions once they are clarified."
