A HEAVILY-pregnant woman who was admitted to hospital suddenly with a life-threatening condition received a £100 parking fine – and has lost her appeal against it.

Chloe Edmondson parked in a private car park close to the University Hospital of North Tees when she went for a routine appointment in the maternity department.

The ticket machine in the Northern Parking Services (NPS)-operated car park was not working and she was given a raffle ticket to put in her car instead.

While in her appointment, midwives discovered her blood pressure was dangerously high due to life-threatening pregnancy condition pre-eclampsia – and admitted her immediately for monitoring.

Ms Edmondson, from Billingham, had no-one to move her car as her partner was working away – and when she received a parking fine she immediately appealed against it.

But NPS have rejected her appeal, despite a letter from her midwife explaining the life-or-death situation.

Ms Edmondson gave birth to daughter Nicole days later, four weeks premature, after being induced to prevent any further risk to mother and baby.

She had to have an emergency caesarean and has spent six weeks recovering, adding: “The stress of this has been awful.

"I’ve been recovering from a caesarean and dealing with a newborn but I’ve had this hanging over me the whole time.

“I thought they would be more compassionate when they realised how serious the situation was.

“But not even a letter from the midwife has made a difference.

“I’ve been trying to enjoy the first six weeks with my baby but this has been on my mind.

“Obviously money is tight when you have a baby and it has been a real worry.”

Newcastle-based NPS was contacted for comment but The Northern Echo has not received any response.

The company is in no way affiliated to the hospital or trust, which has a contract with a different parking operator, Parking Eye, for its own car parks.

Ms Edmondson has contacted Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham for assistance.

The Labour MP is backing a bill to clamp down on rogue parking companies with an industry code of practice.

He said like many MPs, he had been approached by constituents raising concerns about working practices of some companies.

He said when contacting companies on behalf of his constituents he had his correspondence ignored.

He said: “Private car parking companies have been allowed to get away with issuing fines and relentlessly pursuing payment, without any accountability.”