A FINE-BUSTER who has won legal battles across the country claims parking restrictions in a Blackburn street are 'unlawful'.

Neil Herron, who has waged a one-man war against decriminalised parking enforce-ment, has claimed victory' for people in the borough after he had a ticket cancelled.

However Blackburn with Darwen Council chiefs said it was cancelled due to a technicality' but would look into the markings on the road.

Mr Herron claims anyone who has been given a ticket in Duke Street is entitled to a re-fund as the parking bay was not marked out correctly and is abutted with triple yellow lines - which he says do not exist in law.

He parked his Nissan vehicle with the registration, F1NED, in the Duke Street parking bay in July.

Mr Herron said: "I have put a freedom of information request in asking how many people in Duke Street have been issued with fines but have yet to hear anything. Those people will be entitled to claim the fines back.

"I challenged the council regarding the validity of the lines but got no response.

"I asked where my Notice to Owner was and got the response this Penalty Charge Notice has been cancelled as the parking attendant had incorrectly entered your vehicle registration number into his handheld computer'.

"The bays are unlawful because the design is wrong, it is a complete mess and triple yellow lines don't exist in law with this mind it should have now been corrected."

Mr Heron was instrumental in successful challenges to both Bury Metropolitan Council and Sunderland City Council last year.

Both authorities were forced to declare that they would not pursue any outstanding penalty notices which did not display a date of issue.

Last year he proved that dozens of motorists qualified for rebates after Blackburn with Darwen Council incorrectly introduced parking restrictions in taxi ranks.

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member of regeneration, said: "The ticket was cancelled because the parking attendant had inputted the wrong registration number on the ticket.

"We have taken on board the comments regarding the markings of the bay and these will be passed to the traffic section."