THOUSANDS of motorists who have paid to park in Bury town centre will get their money back if they can prove they used bays on The Wylde.

Pay-and-display parking has been suspended on The Wylde, Bury, after highways bosses admitted they should not have been charging people to park there over the last 18 months.

And one angry motorist, who was fined, is threatening to take Bury Council to court.

Motorists fined whilst using the bays will get a refund because their details are noted on council records. Others will have to prove they parked there if they are to get their money back.

Mr Ian Cheetham, director of development and environmental services, said: "Although we are entitled to charge people for parking in the area, there is an error with the parking order which we are reviewing."

He added: "We have cocked-up through sloppiness. We apologise to motorists who have used the bays." According to the council's on-street parking places order, the bays should have been painted parallel to the kerb. They were instead drawn at an angle to the kerb.

The Bury Times first highlighted the blunder after motorist Mr Bob Norburn complained after being fined because his car was outside its bay.

He and other motorists who used ticket machines in The Wylde, have been fined £15 for not parking their cars fully within marked bays.

Although Mr Norburn had his fine refunded, he wants motorists compensated for the error.

He said: "The engineering department had been warned by Bury Council's legal department that the bays contravened their own law."

Mr Norburn wants the council to either offer free town centre parking for one week or donate £10,000 to Bury Hospice by way of an apology to motorists who have been unfairly charged.

"If they do not choose to do either I will pursue a private prosecution against Bury Council on the grounds they knowingly and wrongly took money off motorists," threatened Mr Norburn.

Mr Cheetham said the council would not agree to Mr Norburn's conditions and accused him of "blackmail".

He added: "If any motorist feels they have been treated unfairly they should contact the council."