Park-users complained after they were left with stripey jeans from a newly painted bench.

Alison Barrables' afternoon with friends in Verulamium Park on August 19 was ruined after she found her new jeans ruined after sitting on a park bench covered in wet paint.

Ms Barrables, from Raunds in east Northamptonshire, believes there was no signage on the bench to tell passers-by of the wet paint and was left, along with one of her friends, to walk around St Albans with stripey jeans.

After washing them and scrubbing with stain remover, Ms Barrables has been unable to clean the marks off her jeans, which she bought only the day before.

She said: "I think it's downright stupid to paint every single bench in the summer holidays and at a weekend.

"There was so many people enjoying the park but not one bench was able to be sat at, apart from those by the toilet which weren't taped.

"I stopped another lady just about to sit down and wonder how many others got damaged clothes that day, as I can't believe we were the only two."

St Albans & Harpenden Review: The bench the women sat on in Verulamium Park, close to the toilet block by the bridgeThe bench the women sat on in Verulamium Park, close to the toilet block by the bridge

Ms Barrables contacted the council, who informed her of the contractors, John O'Connor Ground Maintenance, so she appealed to them to seek £35 compensation for herself and her friend so they could buy new jeans.

However the company did not see it as their responsibility to compensate her as the tape could have been removed by someone else, which they say Ms Barrables conceded in her appeal to them.

She continued: "I don’t think there was any tape on these benches as there was no evidence of tape littered nearby and the other benches that had tape on them had arms either side so the tape was tied from one arm across to the other.

"These two benches had no arms so it would have been difficult to tie anything across.

"I'm not asking for a lot, just the cost of the jeans which was £35 and the same for my friend."

St Albans City and District Council said the dates of the bench painting, which happens annually, is decided by the contractors as to when it would be convenient for them.

Paul Brady, senior contract manager at John O'Connor Ground Maintenance, said Ms Barrables had written in her appeal that she could only assume "some irresponsible person thought it would be amusing to remove the warning signs" and that all the other benches she saw in the park had plastic and signs up, therefore they had done what they should have to ensure people were aware of the wet paint.

He said: "We are obviously sorry that this has happened to her and her friend, but do not believe we are responsible.

"We have not been negligent as the benches did have tape and signs on them and although we do sympathise with her I regret that John O’Conner cannot be held liable for the irresponsible actions of others."