Chemotherapy patient ticketed in Northampton days after treatment

Simon Thompson and his partner Maxine Campbell are formally appealing their parking ticket after cancer patient Simon was feeling poorly in their hotel room.

Simon Thompson, 32, of Margate in Kent - who was staying at the Ibis hotel in Sol Central with his girlfriend Maxine Campbell - had been invited, as a special guest, to talk about his battle with cancer at an event in Silverstone.

After being violently sick before leaving his hotel room on Sunday (May 27) - as a result of chemotherapy treatment - the stage 4 cancer patient was then fined by Northamptonshire County Council for overstaying by 20 minutes in Chalk Lane car park.

Maxine said: "I was by his side in our hotel room - he was being sick - I was making sure he was okay.

"I provided evidence of his chemotherapy dates, chemotherapy card and disability to the council - and they have rejected my appeal.

"I've been rejected because 'my situation isn't good enough', in their words."

The couple, who are expecting their first baby together, had applied for a blue badge but it arrived after their weekend away.

She added: "My partner has the enhanced mobility rate of PIP and we applied two weeks ago for a disabled badge - if we'd had it on time for going away we wouldn't have paid anyway.

"It's the only break we've managed to get this year as I'm seven months pregnant too so it's been very hard.

"It's enough stress dealing with stage 4 cancer in a pregnancy, let alone a parking ticket for something so serious that just couldn't be avoided or helped. It's our first baby and likely our last too as my partner won't be able to have any more after treatment."

As soon as the pair discovered they had been fined, Maxine appealed the Â£50 penalty just half an hour after finding the ticket on her windscreen, and after losing, the couple are now planning to take the appeal further.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “There is an appeals process to follow if anyone disputes a decision on the issuing of a penalty charge notice.

“Ultimately this can be taken to a traffic penalty tribunal, which is based in Cheshire. Here independent adjudicators oversee appeals from across England and Wales.

“A parking adjudicator is an experienced lawyer and is independent of the council – their decision is final and both parties must adhere to the decision made.

"For more information about how to appeal to a parking adjudicator visitwww.northamptonshire.gov.uk”