A DRIVER who paid a parking fine within days of the ticket being issued now faces the threat of court action unless he takes his receipt to council offices in person.

George Alberts, 26, of Hindle Street, Darwen, was fined after parking on Blackburn market rooftop car park without a pay and display ticket on October 31.

He said: "I forgot to buy a ticket as I was rushing to get to the bank. "

He added: "I paid the fine on November 6 but I received a letter dated December 28 saying the fine was still outstanding.

"I rang up and gave them my reference number but they said I would have to bring a copy of the receipt to show them."

Mr Alberts said that he paid the fine within seven days so he would only have to pay £20 not £40.

He said: "It's the council's attitude that annoys me - I shouldn't have to go anywhere and I'm not taking a receipt to them."

Linda Comstive, director of legal and administrative services for Blackburn with Darwen council, said: "The council cannot comment on individual cases, however, the procedure in all cases is to issue a final notice when excess car parking charges are not paid.

"If no payment is made a court summons is issued."

She said: "If someone states that they have paid they are asked to produce either a copy of their receipt proving payment or to bring in the original receipt for inspection."