A BEMUSED driver was shocked to receive a hefty fine - even though she had a ticket to park in Bury until the year 2005.

Mrs Shaney Wicks, of Sergeants Lane in Whitefield, paid 80p to park in the town centre for three hours.

To her surprise the expiry date on the ticket she received was 2005.

So, a few days later she used the ticket again. Displaying the ticket in the car, she parked as normal and made her way to Castle Leisure Centre where she is a member of a sports group.

But she returned to find the dreaded excess charge notice waiting on her car.

Mrs Wicks, a part-time teacher working in Bury, had been copped for failing to display a valid parking ticket.

She now faces a fine of up to £30 but said: "There was an attendant at the machine when I bought the ticket. He had the machine open and was speaking to his superior on the radio, telling him that the machine was issuing tickets showing the wrong year.

"But he said nothing to me and closed the machine for me to put my money in.

"I know other people have received similar tickets. I phoned Bury Council and the person I spoke to could see no reason why the ticket was not valid.

"So I decided to use it again."

And Mrs Julie Jackson of Harwood Drive in Bury bought a two-hour ticket - with an expiry date of January 6, 2000.

Mrs Jackson (36) bought the ticket last month when she came in to Bury to see a doctor.

She said: "I will not be trying to use it again!"

Bury Council transportation services manager Peter Schofield responded: "The tickets are not valid after they have been used on the day of issue.

"There appears to have been some confusion and misunderstanding of the situation. But if Mrs Wicks contacts us we will consider her case on its merits."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.