A man got a ticket after parking on a yellow line while rushing to collect his pregnant girlfriend who had gone into labour.

Parking penalty - Jeremy Hardy and girlfriend Johanna Stirling with their son Callum and the parking fine he picked up trying to get her to hospital for the birth. Picture: STEVE ARGENT (46287-1)

Jeremy Hardy, 23, had been at home in Boudicca Walk, Wivenhoe, when he was called by girlfriend Johanna Stirling, 21, who said her waters had broken while visiting her sister, Jackie, in Harwich Road, Colchester.

Mr Hardy said: "I drove over to pick up Johanna so I could then take her to Colchester General Hospital for the birth.

"Jackie does not have a drive at her house and the nearest side street with no yellow lines was too far away so I parked on the main road.

"I accept there was a single yellow line but it was an emergency situation and there was no way Johanna in labour was going to be able to walk any distance.

"I literally went in helped her put her coat on and bring her outside and was dismayed to see a parking attendant putting a ticket on my car."

After a lengthy labour, Miss Stirling gave birth the next morning at Colchester General Hospital to the couple's first child, son Callum, who weighed in 7lb 6oz.

Mr Hardy appealed against the ticket by writing to Colchester Council but has just found out it has been turned down.

Stephen Brown, Colchester's parking operations manager, said there are discretionary powers to cancel tickets issued and each case is judged on individual merits.

In relation to Mr Hardy's ticket, he said no supplemenary evidence was submitted to support the letter the couple wrote explaining their situation.

The couple have the right to refer the matter to the council's appeals manager and if further evidence is provided, then the issue will be reviewed.

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Published Monday, November 28, 2005

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