A PETERSFIELD shopper who was forced to pay a parking fine despite buying a valid ticket has vowed she will take her business elsewhere. Joyce Bowey, from Compton, had to fork out £30 after returning from Waitrose to find a fixed penalty on her car. And East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) says it won't refund the fine, even though Mrs Bowey was able to provide a valid ticket and proof she was in the supermarket at the time. Photos of the front interior of the car produced by the ticket inspector show that no ticket was visible, but Mrs Bowey is furious and says EHDC "couldn't care less" about her predicament. "I paid for the ticket and I can produce it. I think it's disgraceful and I think they need to be shown up," said Mrs Bowey. "I certainly won't come and shop here again whilst this is going on. "It makes me feel as sick as a dog - really and truly - what are they playing at?" Mrs Bowey claims the ticket she bought before entering the shop must have blown off her dashboard, becoming concealed when she closed the door. She said: "When you open and close the door, it can blow off. "It was simply that the ticket disappeared from view - I could not believe for one minute anybody would go to these lengths to make me pay a fine. It is vindictive. "Ultimately, I don't think I should have to pay for something I didn't do. "I had a valid ticket and returned well within the two hours. It is so unfair - £30 is a lot of money in my situation." Ian Eyers, EHDC's parking and highways officer, said a special code enables traffic wardens to identify a ticket, even if it is upside down. "We do our best to find a ticket and if we can't see anything, we take photos of the interior," said Mr Eyres. "The driver has a duty to display the ticket. If we cannot see a ticket anywhere in the car, we assume one has not been bought."
