A GOOD citizen who tried to help the victim of a fatal car crash lost an appeal to rescind a parking ticket, received just after he left the scene.

John Parsons, from Tarporley, was driving into Northwich on October 27 when he passed the scene of a crash in Northwich Road, near the Hodge Lane roundabout.

Despite the best efforts of John and a nurse who also stopped to help, a 78-year-old woman sadly died in the two-car crash.

Shaken up, John carried on his journey to Northwich and pulled into the market car park to get a hot drink and clear his head – inadvertently parking in a permit holders’ space.

He received a parking fine, and wrote to Cheshire West and Chester Council to explain the circumstances as the fee rose from £35 to £70 in the time it took to complete the appeal process.

Despite expressing his mitigating circumstances, a CWAC response dated December 4 explained that John’s experience was not sufficient reason to waive the fine. Instead, it was been reduced to £35.

“I’m not trying to squirm out of it – I was in the wrong – but I thought I would submit my mitigating circumstances to the council,” said John, 50.

“At the time, I wasn’t thinking that clearly or looking closely at the signs. I saw a free car park and pulled in.

“I will now pay the £35 but think people should be made aware of the council’s current morality.”

In his appeal to CWAC, John explained he had been en route to Northwich Fireplaces when he drove past the scene of the Northwich Road crash, just after the collision had occurred.

He helped an elderly couple out of one car with minor injuries, and lent his assistance at the driver of the other car until emergency services arrived and, tragically, the female driver was confirmed dead.

He wrote to CWAC: “By this time several emergency services had arrived and I left the scene in a bit of a blur.

“By the time I got to Northwich it was sinking in and we parked in the most convenient place. I was not interested in looking at signs I just needed a cup of tea and a sit down.

“This is the reason I parked here. This is my first fine of this type as I am usually fully aware of where I can and cannot park.”

The December 4 response from CWAC expressed sympathy at John’s harrowing experience, but said the circumstances detailed did not merit cancellation, adding ‘cancellation will only be considered where the circumstances that led to the contravention were unavoidable or unforeseen’.

When approached by the Guardian this week, the council reviewed the incident and cancelled the fine, saying an error had been made.

Cllr Karen Shore, CWAC cabinet member for environment, said: “Thank you for drawing this to our attention, and thank you to your reader who had clearly been through a very upsetting incident.

"On reviewing the appeal I can confirm that the Penalty Charge Notice has now been cancelled and any payment made will be refunded.”