IT’S not unusual for weather to stop play during a cricket match – but a car being driven on to the pitch is a different ball game altogether.

But that was the bizarre scene that unfolded in Leominster on Saturday afternoon during a local derby between two north Herefordshire rivals.

Dales Cricket Club had welcomed players from Luctonians to their home ground and the game was in full swing, Then the umpires needed to look into the laws of the game but can be forgiven for failing to find an explanation for what course of action to take when a motor vehicle is driven on to the outfield.

The driver of the car was someone who lives near the pitch, close to the centre of the town.

She had grown frustrated that she could not park outside her house due to what she saw as the number of extra cars that were brought into the area because of the cricket match.

And so, in a sport known for its fine drives, put her foot to the pedal and made her way on to the pitch to bring the game to an abrupt halt.

Jon Jones, captain of Dales Cricket Club, said: “We were batting and Luctonians were fielding and all of a sudden a car just drove on to the pitch at about 20mph.

“The driver [a woman] parked the car, locked it and walked off. She said ‘if I can’t park outside my house, I’ll park on the pitch’.

“After about 10 to 15 minutes we had got people to move their cars and move into the ground before she came and took the car off.

“It’s never happened before. I don’t think it has ever happened anywhere in the world before.

“The reason there were so many cars was because it was a local derby so we had more people than usual there watching.”

Players and spectators saw the funny side of the unusual incident and captured the strange sight on camera.

Play resumed once the vehicle had been removed, with Luctonians taking the win in the Marches League Division One clash.

Dales Cricket Club has confirmed it is taking action in a bid to prevent any further such incidents.

Mr Jones added: “We are going to send a letter encouraging people to park inside the ground as we do want to be good neighbours.”