Mum fined while she helped pregnant daughter

Kathryn Newstead's vehicle was slapped with a 35 fine after she parked it in a marked bay outside the flat of her daughter's boyfriend on Ogle Street.

Kathryn (45), of Hucknall Lane, Bulwell, suffers from a twisted spine, arthritis and hip problems and displayed a blue-badge that enables her, as a disabled person, to park without fear.

She had rushed to Hucknall to help her daughter, Andrea Newstead (18), who is 16 weeks pregnant and was complaining of abdominal pain.

Andrea (18) was babysitting for the ill three-year-old daughter of her boyfriend, Kevin Drury.

Kathryn had to alert a midwife and says she was in the bay for no more than 35 minutes.

But she returned to her car to find the ticket, which was administered as part of a new crackdown on illegal parking as part of a Notts County Council-run enforcement programme.

"It is ridiculous," said Kathryn, "I was trying to get to my worried daughter as quick as I could and I parked in a proper parking space and had no idea a permit was needed.

"My daughter's boyfriend had no idea a permit was needed to park there.

"The stupid thing is that I could pull up anywhere on Hucknall High Street on double-yellow lines with my badge showing and not get a ticket.

"I was parked outside a flat that I had gone into. I hadn't gone anywhere else."

Kathryn has tried to get in touch with Notts County Council to try and explain her position but has got nowhere.

She said: "I have been trying for three weeks to get in touch with someone to explain why I had parked there but I keep hitting dead ends.

"And I have medical records to prove that the midwife thought it was urgent. I was concentrating on helping my daughter and then this happened. The wardens wait to get people and it's not right.

"I don't understand how anyone can park on there. What about workers who are doing a job on the street?

"I wasn't blocking anyone and emergency vehicles could easily get by – it is so annoying."

A Notts County Council spokesman said: "Mrs Newstead can challenge her penalty charge notice (PCN).

"She must state her name, address, PCN number and blue-badge number and state her mitigating circumstances.

"Alternatively, she can challenge her PCN online by visiting www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/parkingenforcement.

"All the details are on the reverse of the PCN."