A traffic warden slapped a pensioner with a parking ticket after he left his car on double yellow lines for just six minutes - because his 100-year-old mother-in-law needed the toilet.
Jonathan Taylor, 65, was driving Hilda Bassett to her weekly appointment at the hairdressers when she asked him to pull over.
He parked on the double yellow lines outside the salon and helped Mrs Bassett inside - but forgot to display the disabled blue badge.
When he returned to his car six minutes later he spotted a traffic warden had slapped a £70 (NZ$168) parking ticket on his windscreen.
Despite explaining about his mother-in-law's condition and showing the blue badge, he was told the fine would still stand. Instead of appealing, Mr Taylor, a retired civil engineer from Stoke-on-Trent, paid £35 (NZ$48) within two weeks of getting the penalty last month.
Mr Taylor, who is married to Mrs Bassett's daughter Patricia, 74, said: "I always take the blue badge out of the glove box and put it on the dashboard, but I didn't have time because I was worried about Hilda.
"There was absolutely no compassion. There was just a total lack of understanding, and I think the whole situation is just despicable."
Stoke-on-Trent City Council have refused to refund Mr Taylor, saying there was no way of appealing after a fine has been paid.
- Daily Mail