I was slapped with £60 parking fine for a ticket while I was GIVING BIRTH… the car park said it was not an excuse
A FIRST time mum got a £60 parking fine while she was in hospital while giving BIRTH.
Molly Smith, 24, was stunned to find the penalty notice slapped on her motor, which was parked directly in front of Royal Berkshire Hospital's maternity unit in Reading.
But parking bosses said her fiancé Lewis Gray, 25, left their car in an invalid space as he rushed his partner into the ward.
The couple claim they had "no choice" because the only four spaces were taken, and the main car park was a five-minute walk away.
Molly, who gave birth just 30 minutes after they arrived, insisted: "There was no way in hell I could walk from the main car park.
"Evie's head was already down and out. I was basically giving birth in the car.
"When we went into the maternity ward I was holding onto the wall while Lewis carried our bags.
"He was opening doors and tried to find a nurse to get a wheelchair.
"There was no way I could walk. It was like when you go ice skating but you're not very good so you hold onto the side to stay up."
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Parking inspectors ticketed her 12 minutes after Evie was born - and Lewis saw it when he went to move the car just 10 minutes after it was given.
Officials at parking firm APCOA rejected her appeal last week and, without offering a congratulations on Evie's birth, said they should have read the terms and conditions.
They added it was her responsibility to find valid alternative parking off-site if all the spaces, designed for people in labour, were full.
Molly, who was in agonising pain at the time, accepted the car was not parked in a valid space but insisted they were in exceptional circumstances.
They parked in proper spaces when they visited the hospital for Molly's mild contractions in the early hours that day when she could walk.
The admin worker, at her family's firm Aborfield Tree Care, added they would have parked properly again if spaces were available.
We had no choice. There was no way in hell I could walk from the main car park.
Molly Smith
She arrived at the maternity ward with Lewis at 10.30am, gave birth at 11.02am and was ticketed at 11.14am.
She said: "Our labour happened very quickly, and with it being our first baby we didn’t know what to expect. We had to leave the car right outside."
The Royal Berkshire Hospital told them to immediately come in after hearing her loud screams from contractions when Lewis phoned them.
Molly said Evie was already on her way when she was in her flat in Aborfield Green and they made the 17-minute drive without the option of an ambulance.
Tree surgeon Lewis found a nurse to bring Molly a wheelchair and she was told to undress as soon as she was on the bed because she was in the middle of giving birth.
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Evie was born healthy and "perfect" at 8lbs 6oz on January 24.
When Lewis came back and told them of the fine, midwives agreed it was unfair.
Molly added: "Getting the fine was annoying. Nothing could overshadow how happy we were to welcome our baby but it was constantly in the back of my mind thinking I need to pay it or contest it.
"I appealed the ticket hoping they would have some compassion and cancel the fine. We were shocked they denied the request.
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"I can imagine people say all sorts to get out of paying, but it is selfish to think that giving birth isn’t a good enough reason to cancel a fine."
An APCOA spokesman confirmed the company will change its mind and cancel the ticket after The Sun questioned it.
