A Swindon woman was slapped with a parking fine after being told she had left her car at a B&M store for more than 20 hours.

Sammie Mumford was left frustrated after the parking company responsible for the car park along Ocotal Way, UKPC, issued penalty charge notices for parking for 40 times as long as she actually did.

Ms Mumford went to the shop twice before Christmas, once on December 8 for about 20 minutes at around 2.30pm and then once the day after on December 9 for about half  an hour at around 11.30am.

Customers are permitted to park in the car park for two-and-half hours.

The PCN was issued on December 12 and stated Ms Mumford had parked for 20 hours and 34 minutes. The fine was for £100 but would be reduced to £60 if she paid it within 14 days of it being issued.

Ms Mumford appealed and attempted to dispute the fine multiple times. She said she could not get through to anybody over the phone and was left in the dark for weeks.

She said: “It did my head in because you cannot get anywhere.

“I spent all of Christmas doing it because I just don’t understand it and I could not get hold of anyone.

“It was stressing me out because it is wrong and anyone that might be vulnerable, would pay for it and it is not fair, they (UKPC) are getting money for something that is not right or valid.”

UKPC cancelled the fine after being approached by the Adver for a response. Ms Mumford received an email more than a month after appealing the fine confirming it had been cancelled on December 18.

A spokesperson for British Parking said: “We contacted UKPC who confirmed that an appeal was received on the December 15 and it was processed, double checked, and cancelled.”