A gobsmacked gardener has told how he was slapped with a fine because his car cast a "shadow" into a disabled parking spot.
Dad Matthew Cole was hit with the £65 ticket after he parked his motor outside his local post office in March.
The unsuspecting self-employed gardener got a letter weeks later from the council warning he had parked illegally.
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But images sent with the letter of his silver Ford estate car parked in an unmarked bay next to a signposted disabled spot appear to show only the shadow of his vehicle within the disabled bay.
Matthew appealed the fine - arguing there was no disabled sign next to the bay where he was parked - but the officials rejected his complaint and stuck to its claim that he parked in a spot reserved for blue badge holders only.
“It’s absurd," Matthew told MyLondon. "There’s no signage where I parked and the photos they sent me only show the shadow of my car in the disabled spot.
"I was taking my daughter to a football match on the heath and had parked there before without problem. Having not got a ticket at the other times, I personally don’t think I should have got a ticket this time.
“It’s completely wrong. They’re enforcing something that’s not there. I think £65 is not a lot to many people today, but the principle is wrong. If you don’t pay the fine in a certain time it doubles to £130 which is a lot."
Matthew said he remains determined not to pay the fine. He has since lodged a second complaint against the fine.
“They sent me an email to dispute it and I disputed it, but they seemed to just ignore what I said and said it was issued correctly," he said. "They’re so hard to get hold of. I think it’s done to force you to pay.
“I’ve parked in that same spot at least three other times for five to eight hours each time and had no problem. I don’t see why it was a problem this time.”
A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: “We issued a penalty charge notice to Mr Cole on March 26 for parking in a disabled bay, which was marked with a disabled badge holders only sign. Mr Cole’s initial challenge of this PCN was rejected as he didn’t give a reason for challenging it.
"He has since outlined reasons for challenging the fine, which we are looking into in line with legal processes. We will be letting Mr Cole know the outcome in due course."
