A FATHER who took his children for tea at McDonald’s was hit with a parking fine for having supposedly stayed for more than four hours.

In fact, Ian Gibson had visited the Arnison Centre retail park, near Durham City, twice during the same day – the first time to buy flowers for his mother-in-law.

Horizon Parking’s CCTV cameras apparently failed to spot him leaving – and sent him a £40 fine, rising to £80 if it was not paid within 28 days.

When the 60-year-old appealed, the Essex-based firm enraged him yet further: suggesting he may have been tailgating or speeding as he left.

“I just can’t understand it. They got a photo when I first went in. Surely they must have got one of me leaving,” he said.

Mr Gibson, who lives in Warrington, Greater Manchester, was visiting family in Durham on the day in question, Friday, October 9.

He visited Marks and Spencer in the morning and McDonald’s early in the evening. But, he says, he has a bank receipt proving he was in Chester-le-Street at lunchtime.

Horizon has agreed to cancel the fine, but in an email to Mr Gibson said: “Having checked our records, we can see no evidence of a multi visit on our system.

“There are occasionally instances, however, where the cameras may not capture a vehicle, such as tailgating, speeding or an obscured registration plate.”

Mr Gibson said: “I don’t tailgate or speed. I’ve written to them asking for £30 for my time.

“I’m happy I haven’t got to pay £40 but I don’t trust going in their twice in one day now.

“Lots of people must visit twice in a day on occasions. I often go in with the kids. I won’t go in there twice now.”

Horizon did not respond to The Northern Echo’s request for comment.

Parking rules at the Arnison Centre hit the headlines in 2013, when it emerged so-called shopping spies from another firm, UKCPS, were fining unknowing customers £100 a time for parking in one part of the car park and shopping in another.