CHANCELLOR George Osborne, Tatton’s MP, has been asked to intervene in a bid to settle an angry row over £100 parking fines imposed at the Curzon Cinema in Knutsford after new restrictions came into force.

The issue blew up after a Liverpool-based company was called in by the cinema’s operators to control all day 'fly' parkers who were ignoring a two-hour free period on the town centre car park.

But only days after it was introduced several dozen cinema-goers unaware they had to register vehicles at the box office for free parking were caught in the net when they failed to spot newly-erected signs and were not told of the new restrictions.

Now a number incensed by the fines – reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days - are threatening to challenge them in the county court after refusing to pay.

The parking company, Civil Enforcement Ltd, has written to protesting cinema patrons saying the management of the car park remains under its sole control and the theatre’s manager does not have authority to cancel fines.

Offenders have been told to pay the fine without delay or in some cases are being allowed to extend the reduced charge period for a further two weeks after protests.

Mr Osborne, the town’s MP, is being asked to investigate the issue and has also been requested to respond to questions about the legality of the fines following a RAC report relating to similar fines imposed for overstaying on private land elsewhere in the country.

This follows a complaint to Cheshire East councillor Stewart Gardiner on behalf of a women pensioner who fell foul of the system when she attended a matinee with a friend and was fined after she overstayed by 20 minutes.

In response to a letter from the pensioner’s husband, Councillor Gardiner said he had been to look at the car park signs and noted the potential for confusion, but was satisfied the cinema was trying to make it clearer to patrons.

Dave Burnham, who lives in Goostrey, was astonished to receive a fine after he paid £23.50 for tickets to visit the cinema with his wife and daughter to see the Stephen Hawking biopic “The Theory of Everything”

He is one of a number of people who are thought to have contacted Mr Osborne via his website over the fines.

“I have protested to the cinema and the parking company about the fine but so far it has fallen on deaf ears. I just hope now that Mr Osborne can get involved along with the council to have all these fines rescinded. It is obvious there was a total cock up to begin with because the staff are now verbally warning customers to register their vehicle.

“With such a draconian move to introduce parking restrictions and fines of this size, this should have been done in the first place, not when people protested at being fined such a large amount.”

Mr Burnham said the cinema has confirmed his attendance at the show.

“I don’t know what they have been pussy-footing about so much – they must have engaged the company to patrol the car park through cameras so they must be able to tell it to withdraw the fines where there was a genuine mistake whatever they say to the contrary.”

The Curzon has previously told the Guardian it wants cinema-goers to register their vehicle details with reception before entering the screen.