Motorists and swimmers were left outrages after spotting spotted seemingly shocking parking charges on meters along the waterfront.

Many took to social media after a photo began to circulate of a parking meter on Madeira Road which claimed that drivers would have to spend £2.40 to park for "one hour", with no other option but to park for 24 hours at a cost of £16.50 - even though the meter states that the tariff runs from 06.00 in the morning to 23.59 at night.

Among the man residents and motorists who alerted PlymouthLive was a member of the Ocean City Swimmers group who remarked: "Surely Plymouth City Council are not changing parking options to this? This will kill the business on the Hoe. All the swimmers, people with families for the park, the restaurants etc.

"This is frankly disgusting. On Ringo it still gives option for a couple of hours so it's unclear."

They later said the Ringo information had changed adding: "You can only buy either one hour or 16 hours. This is for the whole of the 16995 area that covers most of the inner city area.

"This is ludicrous - all the swimmers who go for coffee aftewards, families who go to the park then coffee - it will kill the businesses on the Hoe."

PlymouthLive contact Plymouth City Council highlighting the strange choice on offer of either just one hour to park up or the full 24 hours, observing that for anyone who wanted an evening out along the Hoe, perhaps for a swim, a drink or a meal, would either have to rush their evening, or keep topping up their parking fee each hour or fork out for a full 24 hours.

Fortunately, it would appear gremlins had got into a council printer and all was not as the parking meter claimed.

A Plymouth City Council spokesperson told PlymouthLive: "We apologise for the understandable confusion. This is a printing error. The signs are supposed to say £2.40 ‘per hour’ rather than £2.40 for ‘one hour’.

"This issue came to light yesterday [Monday] when a customer queried it and as soon as the parking team were made aware of the error, they have arranged to have the signs reprinted. The machines are being updated to avoid any further confusion."