A WESTBURY mum is fighting against an incorrect parking fine given to her by UK Parking Control, after she visited the Odeon cinema at St Stephen’s Place in Trowbridge with her children.

Naomi Paterson, who is a mum of six, decided to take her three youngest children to see the popular children’s film Minions at the cinema at the end of June and parked in the car park, which gives visitors three hours free parking with a ticket.

Her nine-year-old daughter Megan placed the ticket in full view on the car dashboard, but when they returned to the car after the film had finished, Ms Paterson was shocked to find she had been fined.

The 38-year-old wrote to the enforcement company UKPC, which looks after the car park, and was told that her £60 fine could be reduced to £15 if she paid straight away, but Ms Paterson does not believe she should have to pay.

“We got to the cinema just after 4pm for the 4.10pm showing of Minions and my daughter got the ticket from the machine and placed it on my dashboard in clear view,” said Ms Paterson.

“When we returned to the car after watching the film I could not believe that I had been given a fine. I was completely confused as me and my daughter could both easily see the ticket on display.

“I have never had a parking fine before, so I appealed to the company and they said I could pay £15 now instead of £100 as there was an issue with the ticket machine and the ticket I got was dated for the next day.

“I don’t see how they can expect me to pay a reduced fee when they admit there was an issue. It is ridiculous and I’m not going to be bullied or pressured into paying for something that I shouldn’t have to.”

It is not the first time visitors to St Stephen’s Place have complained about UKPC’s parking enforcement, with the firm repeatedly coming under fire from motorists since the leisure complex opened at the end of 2013.

After UKPC refused to cancel her fine, Ms Paterson appealed to Parking On Private Land Appeals (POPLA), but on Wednesday she was told her appeal had been refused as she “parked without clearly displaying a valid pay and display ticket”.

Ms Paterson added: “I was joking with my daughter after we got back to the car saying the person who gave the fine should have gone to Specsavers, so I can’t believe it has actually been upheld and I’m being told to pay the full £100.

“My mum is very ill at the moment and this is the last thing I need as it causing more worry for me. We usually go regularly to the cinema at St Stephen’s Place, but we haven’t been since as I don’t want it to happen again.”

The Wiltshire Times has contacted UKPC for comment.