A business owner in Stockport, Greater Manchester, used a forklift to move a car that had been parked directly in front of his warehouse shutter, preventing him from opening the premises.
Luke Thurling, 38, who runs Stockport Pallet Warehouse, filmed himself lifting a Vauxhall Zafira Energy and moving it away from the entrance.
He later shared the footage on social media in an attempt to discourage motorists from blocking access to his business.
Recurring Parking Problem Frustrates Warehouse Owner
Mr Thurling said vehicles regularly obstruct the warehouse because several gyms are located nearby at Hallam Mill in Stockport.
On this occasion, the car had been left directly in front of the shutter, leaving him unable to open the warehouse.
Explaining how he dealt with the situation, he said: “Someone parked right in front of our shutter, so we couldn’t open the warehouse.”
He added: “Luckily, we had a forklift handy.”
The business owner also joked about using his equipment for something other than its usual purpose, saying: “Usually we shift pallets, but today we’ve branched out into valet parking.”
He concluded his message with a request to motorists to keep the entrance clear, adding: “Please keep our shutter clear – we’ve got enough customer returns.”
Driver Appears Unaware His Car Has Been Moved
Despite the forklift operation, Mr Thurling said the vehicle’s owner appeared not to realise what had happened.
“The owner seemed to drive off unaware of what happened,” he said.
The footage attracted reactions from social media users, several of whom expressed frustration with parking problems in the area.
Ian commented: “They won’t park there again, well done.”
Marrica wrote: “Oh my god, I love this.”
Another viewer said they “could do with one of them”, while Joshua commented: “Felt like doing this hundreds of times at Hallam Mill.”
One other social media user suggested the equipment would also be useful for dealing with vehicles obstructing access during school drop-offs, writing: “Need one for the school run.”
Farmer Acquitted After Using Forklift to Move Car in 2022
The incident recalls a 2022 case involving fourth-generation hill farmer Robert Hooper, who was charged with dangerous driving and criminal damage after using a forklift tractor to move a car parked on his land.
Mr Hooper said he had politely asked a group of men to leave after their vehicle blocked his front gate.
He claimed that one of the men, apprentice diamond driller Charlie Burns, punched him, leaving him feeling “frightened and threatened”.
Mr Hooper subsequently used the forklift tractor to move the vehicle belonging to one of the men.
Mr Burns, 21, from Tyneside, attempted to stop him by throwing himself at the cab of the tractor and kicking its tyres as Mr Hooper tried to flip the car.
The farmer was acquitted after arguing that he had a lawful right to defend his property.
His barrister relied on a 400-year-old legal precedent associated with jurist Sir Edward Coke.
Judge Ray Singh ruled that Mr Hooper had been defending himself and his property when he moved the vehicle.
UK Guidance on Moving Cars Parked on Private Land
According to The Sign Shed, removing a vehicle parked on private land without the owner’s consent is permitted in the UK in certain circumstances under the principle of self-help.
However, the guidance states that the vehicle must not be damaged for this right to apply.
