A Southampton woman is up in arms after being slapped with a ticket after her parking permit expired.

Wendy Kerby, of Fort Road in Woolston, said it was “unfair” she was forced to pay a £25 parking fine when she never received a reminder to renew her permit.

The 58-year-old dental nurse has lived in her house for 14 years and previously received a letter to renew the permit at the end of each year.

However, in December that didn’t happen and after forgetting to renew her permit she was fined on December 26.

She said: “I had a letter sent every year to renew my permit for the past 14 years. I get a reminder every year just to say that my parking permit is up for renewal.

“I would send it straight back, and then I would get your permit in the post a few days later. That didn't happen this year.

“And I did ask the council what happened to the reminder, but they did not answer.”

'I just couldn't afford it'

Wendy has been paying for parking while undergoing cancer treatment, and got to the point where she couldn’t afford to pay the fine and had to borrow money from a friend.

She said: “Due to all the hospital parking and everything at the moment, I just couldn’t afford it.”

Wendy thought it was “unfair” she was forced to pay £25 when she never received the usual letter to renew her permit.

She said: “Yes it was an error on my part, partly, but it was also as much of an error on their part as well because they didn't send the reminder.”

She added: “I'm still so angry about it. I've got enough on my plate, I don't need to be worried about this.”

In response, a spokesperson for Southampton City Council said: “The council does not discuss penalty charge notice cases with third parties.

"Anyone who has received a penalty charge notice is entitled to make both an informal and formal challenge to the council.

"If the formal challenge is turned down, a further appeal can be made to the independent Traffic Penalty Tribunal.”