LONG-STAY parking has a whole new meaning for lucky driver Fred Gibbon - he can park his car FREE for the next nine years.

Retired Fred popped 60p into the machine at Castle Leisure Centre in Bury and got a ticket with an expiry date of January, in the year 2006.

And council officials think it could be legal!

Fred (63), of Cotswold Crescent in Walshaw, goes to the leisure centre for a swim three times a week.

"I saw the date on the ticket and my mind just went blank," said the retired insurance man, who is pictured with his ticket at the machine.

"I asked someone using another machine on the car park what date was on their ticket. They looked at me like I was the man in the moon.

"Usually it is motorists who are hit - but this time the authorities are giving me something!"

Bury Council transportation services manager Peter Schofield said: "It sounds like an April Fool joke; Mr Gibbon would seem to have received excellent value for money!

"I am not sure about the precise legal position but the ticket can't really be said to be invalid because it runs way beyond the current date.

"There may have been an overnight clock fault but we haven't heard of any similar tickets being issued. The machines are serviced regularly."

And what about the ticket? "I might listen to offers for it," Fred laughed.

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