Tempers are becoming so flared because of problems with parking in part of Gorleston that people are almost resorting to 'fisticuffs' in the battle for spaces, a county councillor has claimed.

And officers at Norfolk County Council have agreed to look into the problems on Sussex Road in the town, which have been blamed partly on the merging of GP surgeries at the Shrublands Health Centre.

Labour county councillor Colleen Walker, who represents Great Yarmouth's Magdalen Ward, told members of the council's environment, development and transport committee that she had eight complaints about the issue last week.

She said: 'The problem for us is that, on the ground, we are getting our ears burned over this.

'People are getting physical on the street. It is coming down to almost fisticuffs and it is getting out of hand.

'Where the surgeries have amalgamated there is no parking whatsoever and it is getting so out of hand, especially with the school run as well.

The road is getting totally jammed and we need something done.'

Conservative county councillor Graham Plant, who represents Gorleston St Andrews, agreed the issues needed to be dealt with.

He said: 'This problem came about because the three surgeries were amalgamated without consultation with the highways authority.

'There are now 15,000 patients going to an area with no parking and we are finding real difficulties.'

Tom McCabe, executive director for community and environmental services, said officers would explore whether there was anything which could be done.

He said: 'We will have a view of the site and see what we can do to ease the situation.'

But he warned the committee it had voted last year to remove money from the minor traffic works budget.