A pensioner says he feels like he has been “harassed” by a council after being sent 11 fines in 17 days for driving into a bus lane - despite paying the penalty notice at the first opportunity.

Graham Clarke was visiting Tunbridge Wells for the first time when he said his sat nav directed him into a bus lane. Within a few days a fine dropped through his letterbox.

The 82-year-old, who was turning right into Mount Pleasant Road from Crescent Road when the incident happened, said he realised his mistake and paid the fine.

“I don’t believe in owing anyone which is why I paid it as soon as I received it,” he said.

But a few days later he received another fine, with the same reference number and same offence.

When he rang the council he said he spent 54 minutes waiting on the line before being told they had got his payment and his debt was cleared.

So he was shocked when the same fine arrived through his letterbox every day for the next seven days, with two even arriving together.

Each letter listed the same offence on the same date with the same reference number, but the letter was dated differently.

Three days later, on December 4, the retired printer got another fine. He received another on December 8.

“It’s harassment,” he said. “They are threatening me with the bailiffs and extra costs in these letters but I have paid the fine.

“I’ve got photos of the reference number confirming I paid and when I rang they confirmed I have paid.”

The grandad-of-10 said it has left him feeling stressed and he does not know how to stop the situation.

“I don’t know where to turn now,” he said.

“It’s just beginning to get very worrying as the threat of it being passed to the debt recovery agent and all that goes with it is causing sleep problems.

“I hold Tunbridge Wells council responsible as the complaints line is discontinued and the only way is to speak to the traffic parking office line and wait in the queue, which I did last week when I waited 54 minutes one day and again for 38 minutes another day.

“I think I deserve an apology at the very least, if not compensation for the telephone costs and the time spent on the phone.”

Mr Clarke, who lives in Petts Wood, had been in the area to go to a surprise birthday party for his sister-in-law.

Since the incident he has updated his sat nav at a cost of £65.

“It was cheaper than the fines,” he added.

After KentOnline got in touch with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, it said the issue was down to a software glitch.

A spokeswoman added: “We are very sorry that Mr Clarke has received duplicate letters relating to the same case.

“On investigation this was found to be the result of an isolated software issue.

“We will be in touch with Mr Clarke to explain this and to apologise. We are working with our software provider to help prevent this from happening again.”