A WIDOW was left angry and upset after her first night out since her husband died was spoiled because she received a parking fine for displaying her ticket face-down.

Ann Brierley's husband, Malcolm, passed away just after Christmas from cancer, aged 77.

At the end of June Mrs Brierley's friend planned a night out at The Courtyard in Hereford.

After an enjoyable evening she was shocked to discover she had received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) because she had displayed the £2 ticket face-down.

She appealed to the private company Corporate Services which runs parking enforcement at the private car park, showing she had bought a valid ticket, but this was refused. She paid the £46 fine.

Mrs Brierley, 73, said: "I was angry- I really was. It was my first night out since my husband had passed away and to get a fine made me feel upset.

"I was running late as I had to rush in and wait for change at the bar to buy a ticket. I stuck it on the dashboard but did not realise it was the back of it.

"If anything, it is naming and shaming them and warning other people."

Mrs Brierley, who lives in Southbank Close, Hereford, said it has put her off going back.

With parking tickets there is a failure to display rule- if it isn't displayed correctly then a fine can be incurred.

Herefordshire Council's rules on parking enforcement for council car parks say if it is the first time a pay and display ticket was not displayed correctly and a legible copy of the ticket can be shown then the PCN can be cancelled.

The Courtyard's operations manager, Alex Green, said: “We regret that in this case a parking issue has caused a customer to be put off visiting The Courtyard, and hope that our parking facilities do not put others off visiting the venue.

"Our contract with Corporate Services for parking enforcement is an important tool to ensure that customers abide by the rules and to help us ensure that the maximum number of spaces is available for customers.

"If after an initial appeal, customers feel there are exceptional circumstances that have not been considered, then they can get in touch with The Courtyard and we will look at the case.”

It was recently reported that Canterbury City Council will have to refund around £10,000 to people who were given parking fines for displaying tickets face-down.

In July it was revealed how Canterbury council bosses had secretly tried to scrap a policy of discretion in such cases.

The move – which effectively prevented drivers from appealing in such circumstances – was found unlawful by a tribunal.