A holidaymaker returned home to find a hefty bill on his doorstep after his car was driven to a car park and left for nearly a week.

Andrew Rock was slapped with a £150 fine as his car was left in Centenary Quay car park in Woolston – somewhere he has never visited - for 9,872 minutes.

Baffled Mr Rock challenged the fine issued by First Parking, explaining he had booked a parking service for his cruise.

The 49-year-old community nurse handed over the keys to his Audi to Southampton Valet Ltd before his cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on September 9.

Mr Rock was promised a ‘reliable’ service where the company would ‘take the vehicle, park at their car park, and return the vehicle’, as stated on its website.

But a CCTV image - sent to him in a letter ordering him to pay a parking fine - shows a driver taking his vehicle to Centenary Quay at 12.07pm on September 9 and then leaving at 8.40am on September 16.

Daily Echo: was hit with a parking fine after Southampton Valet Ltd parked his car at Centenary Quay car park in Woolston was hit with a parking fine after Southampton Valet Ltd parked his car at Centenary Quay car park in Woolston (Image: Andrew Rock)

Mr Rock said: “I received a letter from the bailiffs on November 2 demanding £150 for unpaid parking expenses from September 9 to 16 at Centenary Quay car park.

“I thought to myself, when was I supposed to have parked in this Southampton car park?

“Once we left our car with Southampton Valet Ltd, they took it away.”

READ MORE: Investigation launched into ‘rogue’ cruise parking companies

‘The images clearly show it was not me behind the wheel and I remember the guy in the photograph is who brought my car back to me’, Mr Rock said.

He added: “The fine started as £40 but because it never came through my letterbox, I couldn’t contest it in the first two weeks.

“I then received the notice from the bailiffs, who said I could pay £80 and the case would be closed.

“I wanted to get this from Southampton Valet Ltd, but after I emailed them a few times my emails started bouncing back.”

Daily Echo: Centenary Quay car park Centenary Quay car park (Image: Google Maps)

Mr Rock, from Nottingham, has begrudgingly paid the fine but is warning others to steer clear of the parking company.

He said:  “We won’t let this spoil our memories of our holiday, but it is disappointing.”

Trading Standards is understood to have launched an investigation into ‘several companies that operate cruise parking’ following complaints.

‘Unauthorised organisations’ have been banned from the port, ABP has confirmed, with police aware of the allegations made.

Southampton Valet Ltd was contacted for comment.