A DEFIANT driver refuses to pay a fine issued for parking across two bays - because his neighbour gave him written permission to park there.

Alan Beddoes vowed to fight UK Parking Control Ltd in court, arguing that he was left with no choice but to leave his car straddling two bays because of the way other people had left their cars at the residential car park which serves Pollard Court, Basin Road, Diglis, Worcester.

He says some drivers park in his allocated space and a kindly neighbour had let him park partly across her space, knowing the ex-delivery driver had few other options.

The 61-year-old has shown the Worcester News a hand-written letter from his neighbour in which writes that she gives him permission to park across her bay.

In his appeal letter (which has been refused) Mr Beddoes said he suffered from sciatica and he had lower back problems and that parking across the two bays enabled him to get in and out of his car more easily.

Mr Beddoes has so far refused to pay the £100 fine issued by UK Parking Control Ltd on April 24 and has appealed against it but the appeal was refused on June 21.

He said: "I'm not paying nothing. I wish they would take me to court because I think the courts would laugh at them and tell them to get on their bikes. I don't feel I have done anything wrong.

"What are they going to do, nick someone for parking in their own garage next?

"My neighbour said I could park across her space. These people have got to be stopped. They're making people's lives hell."

Mr Beddoes has since sold the Peugeot 206. He said there was no ticket on the windscreen although the photo supplied on the penalty charge shows one had been placed there.

His neighbour has written to the housing association, Orbit.

Her letter said she had given Mr Beddoes permission to park in her space as she was annoyed other people kept parking in her space without her consent.

Mr Beddoes received a letter from the appeals department of UK Parking Control Ltd on Tuesday, June 21.

In the letter the company say: "We have investigated your appeal based on the information you have submitted and confirm that this parking charge was correctly issued because there are sufficient signs at Diglis Water warning drivers that there is no parking outside of designated bays, this includes parking across two bays."

The letter then says he can pay the fine at the reduced rate of £60 or make an appeal to POPLA, the independent appeals service for Parking Charge Notices issued on private land.

He was then warned that the charge would increase after 35 days from June 21 to £100 before being passed to a debt recovery agency at which point he will be liable to pay a further £60.

The letter warns him that further charges will be claimed if court action is taken.

The Worcester News has made efforts to call the company but after being put through to the fines department there was no answer.