AN angry driver claims he was unfairly slapped with two parking fines in the space of just a few days.

Anthony Rishton, 45, received the two fines when he parked his Mazda on Vicar Street, in Blackburn to get to his work.

The first Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was issued at 11.39am on September 25 and then Mr Rishton was shocked to receive another at 11.20am on September 27.

He said that people, himself included, had been parking on the site without a problem since Thwaites brewery ended production in Blackburn earlier this year.

Council chiefs said in the first PCN that he was parking in a restricted street while in the second PCN, they said he parked in a special enforcement area adjacent to a footway, cycle track or verge lowered to meet the level of carriageway.

But Mr Rishton, who has appealed both the fines, said he has been ‘victimised’ by council parking wardens and that his parking was not illegal.

Mr Rishton, from Earby, who worked at 3aaa in Blackburn which has since gone into liquidation leaving him without a job, said: “I used to park on the Mall but you had to pay so someone told me about these parking spaces.

“They’ve been available since Thwaites ended production in Blackburn and you get people parking here every day.

“I’d done this for quite a while without a problem.

“I feel victimised because I was one of 17 cars parked there the first time I received a fine and 19 parked there the second time.

“No one else that I know of received any PCN and it doesn’t seem to be always enforced.

“My parking was legal, I just reversed into a spot the first time and the second I’m also parked up.”

Mr Rishton faces paying two fines, one of £70 and the other of £35, but said he will not be paying them.

He said: “I’m waiting to hear back from the council regarding my appeals but I’ve not heard anything.

“I’ve just been ignored and instead had another letter recently saying I will have to pay more money as I’ve not paid the discounted amount in time for my second notice. I've not even had a response for the first notice.

"Parking in Blackburn is a real problem."

A council spokesman said: “We are in the process of responding to Mr Rishton and this is within the legal timeframe. This matter is still active so we are unable to give any further details.”