A BUSINESSMAN ordered to pay £140 after his parking ticket ran out has hit back - by claiming the council owes him change!

Stuart Redmayne, 52, of Turncroft Road, Darwen, was issued with a parking fine because he returned to his car 20 minutes late. And he refused to pay a £10 excess charge to cancel out the ticket as he believed he had already paid enough.

Parking in Church Street, Blackburn, costs 70p for an hour, but when he put in a £1 coin he received no change. Although he was expecting to be back at his car within the hour, he was 20 minutes late but believed he would be okay because the ticket showed he had paid £1.

However, Mr Redmayne, owner of Airtax airport minibus service, was convicted by Blackburn magistrates in his absence of the offence and fined £60 plus £40 excess and £40 costs.

He said: "It's a joke. I only went to buy a pair of trousers and they've turned out to be the most expensive I've got. I wasn't trying to get out of paying. I honestly thought that because I'd paid extra, it would cover me. If I'd just put the 70p in I would have held my hands up to it.

"In theory, I paid for 100 minutes so the council actually owes me change. I am not in the wrong in my eyes." Andrew Docherty, assistant director of legal services, said: "The driver pleaded not guilty to parking in excess of a one-hour restriction. The offence went before the court and the driver did not appear to defend the case. It proceeded in his absence and the magistrates decided on the penalty.

"Had the driver paid £10 into the parking meter on the day, or £20 to the town hall within seven working days, that would have been the end of the matter. Parking on Church Street is restricted to one hour at any time. Drivers can't put more money into the meter be exempt from usual penalties."