Town's parking machines exploded

Thirty machines have been destroyed and hundreds damaged

If people exploding parking machines in Lewes have "a gripe" over parking rules, they can deal with it in the proper way, business leaders have said.

More than 185 machines have been damaged in two years and 30 have been completely destroyed. The council repair bill is now more than £300,000.

Seven attacks have happened since Bonfire Night, three on 6 November. Many attacks have involved fireworks.

David Quinn from Lewes Chamber of Commerce called it an act of stupidity.

Police have questioned two teenagers and said they expect to make more arrests.

The police, the county council, and the chamber of commerce have highlighted the risk of injury from explosions and flying shrapnel.

Mr Quinn said: "There's not only a chance of injury to themselves - it's injury to other people as well.

PARKING METERS IN SUSSEX Hastings has two or three attacks per year at a cost of about £1,000 Brighton incurs about £20,000 in damage costs each year Brighton has eight times as many machines as Lewes No machines have been damaged beyond repair in either Brighton or Hastings

"If they've got a gripe against the parking scheme there are ways of dealing with it properly."

East Sussex council's transport manager John Robbins said most of the attacks had been caused by explosives and in some cases "very powerful explosives".

The authority said parking charges would now be higher than they would have been and it would take longer to build up any surplus funds for transport schemes in the area.

In 2005/06, the cost of the damage equalled the council's income from parking permits in the town.

Sussex Police said a 14-year-old from Lewes had been questioned over damage to a parking machine using a firework on 8 November.

A 19-year-old was also helping police with inquiries after fireworks were seized at a residential address in Lewes on Thursday.

"This is unlikely to be the last arrest regarding the numerous parking meters that have been damaged using explosives," the force said.

Police said they were working closely with NCP and making every effort to arrest those responsible.

Officers said no money had been stolen from any of the machines.