Doc Martin Series 4

Some residents in Port Isaac are calling for filming to be banned from the village because an influx of tourist visitors is causing traffic chaos in the narrow streets.

"We have had the golden egg from the filming and we have had enough visitors now," said one resident, Ted Charles. "Surely they have enough footage of Port Isaac on file so they don't need to come back?"

The village is used as a location for the fictional town of 'Portwenn' in the ITV series, which stars Martin Clunes as a grumpy GP.

On Monday night more than 30 residents filled the village school hall to protest to St Endellion parish council about the parking problems.

They said tourists have been dumping their vehicles by a children's play area, and are concerned a child could be killed.

Debbie Pattenden, a mother, said: "We need to take this seriously before we lose one of our children. It is extremely dangerous, especially when they want to go to the park."

Mr Charles added: "We have heard that next year they will be filming from May to August. That would be a complete disaster and the parking problem will only escalate.

"Friends who have enjoyed coming to the village for years have not been able to stay in holiday cottages because they have been rented to the crew."

A B & B owner, Marion Andrews, said the village had become too busy for regular customers who wanted peace and quiet.

In response the parish council said it was writing to the county highways department to request yellow lines to try and ease the parking problem.

David Phelps, chairman of St Endellion Parish Council said parking had been a problem for years but was being exacerbated by Doc Martin fans.

Port Isaac has previously been used for films and other television shows including the 1970s series 'Poldark'.

In recent years, the village has become home, for part of the year, to a number of celebrities, including the designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, the actress Julie Peasgood and the presenter Lorne Spicer.

Nearly 40 per cent of properties in the village are now second homes and the cost of the average home has been pushed to £280,000.

A spokesman for ITV said she was unable to comment on the complaints as a series of Doc Martin had not been filmed this year.

She said: "We have not been near Port Isaac since 2007 and have no plans to return until 2009."

Doc Martin has attracted up to 10 million viewers in Britain and is a hit in more than a dozen countries including Australia, Belgium and Romania.

Local estate agents Estuary Estates said the show had raised the profile of the village and was seen as an added attraction.

A spokesman said: "They are making a fourth series of Doc Martin, so we always mention this in the particulars. It is a very sought after area."

Speaking previously, Clunes said: "I love working on Doc Martin, being in Cornwall, and being able to work with my wife Philippa, who is the producer.

"At the end of the day's filming we were able to go back to a beautiful house along the coast from Port Isaac, which has stunning sea views.

"And it means I was home before my daughter Emily had to go to bed, which doesn't happen when I am filming in London."