I was slapped with £100 parking fine while giving clothes to charity – I can’t believe I was punished for a good deed

A WOMAN was shocked to find herself slapped with a £100 parking fine while donating clothes to a charity shop.

Alana Bathgate, from Kent, was sent a penalty letter weeks after parking her vehicle next to the charity shop.

The generous woman was visiting mental health charity Mind in Chiddingstone Causeway near Tonbridge to drop a donation.

The 40-year-old said she rushed to deliver some of her mother-in-law's clothes after she passed away.

Alana said: “Having lost my mother-in-law last year we had a lot of sorting to do and therefore decided to donate lots of belongings to Mind."

After heading to the high street store, she was told by manager Mel to park round the back of the shop to drop off the clothes.

She explained: “We had already donated lots of stuff before and had unloaded behind the store before after speaking to the manager.

“We dropped our son at school and headed to the store to drop off another car load of stuff.

"Some items were quite big so it would’ve been difficult to carry and parking on the high street would’ve been dangerous.”

However, the charitable act ended in a parking nightmare when a camera from One Parking Solution snapped the car.

The woman was left in shock when a £100 fine was sent to her door - more than two weeks after her visit to the store.

She slammed: “I was shocked and felt I was being penalised for doing a good deed.

“You can clearly see by the pictures taken that we’re unloading and the manager Mel and her colleague are seen helping unloading in one of the photos."

But Alana is not the only one victim and other customers have also reported parking incidents to the company.

She added: “Mel is having a word with head office as I’m aware I’m not the only person this has happened to.”

Directors at Mind are now planning to reach out to the parking company to demand an explanation.

Director of retail at Mind Andrew Vale said: “We are aware of this issue, and we are aiming to meet with One Parking Solution to find a solution to this.

“In the meantime, we encourage anyone who has received a fine while dropping off donations to contact the shop directly on 01732 666040 and we may be able to help.”

One Parking Solution have been approached for comment.

It comes as a ULEZ camera van has been slapped with a hefty fine after being caught "parking illegally".

Local independent councillor James Giles reported the vehicle, which enforces the hated levy, for sitting on the pavement in Kingston-upon-Thames, South London.

Elsewhere, a mum was slapped with a £60 parking fine for overstaying by 12 minutes while she was giving birth.

Australian couple Carly Earl and Greg Mullins left their car parked at the hospital and rushed to the delivery room.