ASHFORD council is facing the prospect of paying back hundreds of pounds in parking fines, after a man successfully appealed against his ticket.

David Godden, 48, of Mayfield Road in Lyminge, was given a £60 fine for parking on a grass verge next to double yellow lines on Monument Way on Sunday, June 3.

But the council was forced to apologise and withdraw the fine, after he discovered the lines were painted in the wrong place.

Mr Godden said: "I decided to check up on the parking order which says where the no waiting areas are in Ashford. The part of the road where I was parked wasn't included in it."

Mr Godden's discovery has the potential to spark a rush of claims for parking fine refunds from others who have been ticketed in the same place. He said: "These people shouldn't have been fined, and they should get their money back."

In a letter to Mr Godden, John Burns, the council's parking services operations manager, says: "I apologise that a penalty charge notice was inappropriately issued against your vehicle and that you have been unnecessarily inconvenienced."

* Full story in the Kentish Express.