A case of mistaken identity led to a man being landed with a parking fine from Barnet council.

Alan Bengall, from Sheerness, said he was shocked to receive the £60 penalty notice through the post.

It claimed the retired father-of-two had parked illegally in the north London borough.

But on the day in question, Mr Bengall’s BMW was 100 miles away, being driven by his wife, Janice, on a shopping trip to Sheppey.

The 69-year-old said: “When the fine came through I panicked because I knew if I couldn’t prove it wasn’t my car, I could’ve been hassled through the courts.”

"It scares me to think of the money it would’ve cost me to go through the courts to prove my innocence" - Alan Bengall

After the penalty notice arrived, Mr Bengall, of Parsonage Chase, Minster, said he “bombarded” the council for evidence of his alleged contravention.

He was able to view a photograph of the illegally-parked vehicle online and it transpired the car was the same make as Mr Bengall’s, but a different colour.

It also became clear the offending BMW’s number plate had been reported incorrectly by the council’s traffic enforcement officer, ending in a ‘U’, while the Bengalls’ has an ‘O’.

“I’m grateful they’ve got the photographs, but on the other hand it scares me to think of the money it would’ve cost me to go through the courts to prove my innocence,” Mr Bengall said.

He wants other drivers to be aware the same bureaucratic blunder could befall them.

He added: “It says on the penalty notice I could be fined £5,000 for providing false documents.

“I wish I could fine them the same amount for the mistake they’ve made."

A spokesman for Barnet council confirmed its parking enforcement contractors had issued the ticket in error.

He said the fine had been cancelled and apologised “for the inconvenience caused to Mr Bengall”.