A MUSICAL theatre group could be forced to quit their headquarters because a residents parking scheme is making their life a misery.

Bosses of Weymouth Operatic Society, who are based in Derby Street in the Park district of Weymouth, claim their weekly rehearsals are being disrupted because they do not have any parking permits.

They are fed up with members having to leave practice sessions to move their cars and now the society, who do not have a permit, may have to move to another venue.

The scheme, which was started in the Park district in 1999, involves residents paying £45 for a yearly permit - with visitors restricted to a one hour limit.

The society, running since the 1920s, own their headquarters and secretary Lyn Mumford said the group, who have been based in Derby Street for around 10 years and have 45 members, were suffering because Thursday evening practice sessions were being disrupted so members could keep within the one hour parking limit.

"We often have professional directors come from London who find it really strange that we have to keep stopping in the middle of scenes to move our cars. It is really annoying as we bring publicity to the town, yet we don't seem to have had much help on this issue," she said.

Mrs Mumford said the society understood why the scheme had been introduced - to combat commuters and tourists taking homeowners' spaces - and they were not seeking to gain an advantage over residents.

"Some members have received parking tickets when they were practising in a building we actually own. We'll probably have to move if this carries on," she said.

Mrs Mumford said the society had met with a council appeals panel who rejected their request for permits.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council gave the scheme the green light after a household survey suggested many families backed it.

Martyn Gallivan, the council's engineering chief, said: "The society originally purchased a permit and then applied for at least 10 more. This was rejected by the panel because the society would take up a lot of space during an evening which would not be beneficial to residents."

The society was still entitled to purchase a permit allowing them a space.