A contractor is warning other motorists to be careful after a hurried typo saw him get a parking ticket.

Graham Holland parked his van in West Malling’s “take and display” car park, in the High Street, and incorrectly entered one digit of the vehicle’s registration on the ticket machine.

Instead of a zero, he accidently used the letter O – something Tonbridge and Malling council warns users about on the machine.

Mr Holland appealed and said the council should use more discretion in instances such as this.

He said: “It’s not like I misused the system, I know some people do.

“If I actually didn’t abide and had parked there for more than three hours then I would have held my hands up and paid the fine, but it was a genuine mistake.”

The incident happened on Monday, October 19, when the self-employed handyman was working at The Hungry Guest restaurant, also in the High Street.

He left the van parked for around two hours, finding a £25 fine waiting for him when he returned.

The parking officer noted a previous ticket still on display within the vehicle showing the correct registration, however on this occasion the incorrect details had been inputted.

The council initially said Mr Holland did not have sufficient grounds to appeal the penalty charge, but has since changed its mind.

Robert Styles, the council’s director of street scene and leisure, said: “The council hasn’t changed its penalty charge notices policy but, having listened to residents who have made a mistake in entering their registration.

"We will consider cancellation of the penalty charge on a ‘this time only’ basis provided that their mistake did not prevent someone else with a correct registration from parking.”

Mr Holland, of Stuart Close, Maidstone, believes several other people have been affected by similar mistakes, and that had he not made the decision to go public with his plight, he may still have faced a penalty.

He said: “It’s good to draw attention to it. I reckon a lot of people have just paid the ticket for the sake of £25 and to save the hassle, but it’s just the stress factor it brings that annoyed me.”