A MOTORIST has spoken of her delight after winning an appeal against a £95 fine for overstaying on a car park by 30 minutes.

Ruth Peake, 46, was sent the fine by enforcement group G24 Ltd, who obtained her home details from the DVLA when she overstayed the 1hour limit at the car park of Homebase, in Church Hill, Loughton.

She sent two letters of appeal to G24 and that fine has now been waived after the group admitted there were no clearly visible signs related to parking enforcement at the entrance or exit.

Ms Peake, of The Forest, Snaresbrook, said: “There are no signs at the entry and exit point to the car park and they did not have a leg to stand on. If the general public knew the facts and the legalities they would also not get caught in the same way. You know it is an old fashioned numbers game.

“If they had installed the proper signage, then I and other motorists using the car park would be aware that parking restrictions operate in the car park at Homebase.

“I am thrilled with the outcome and that it is finally over after some seven weeks of wrangling.”

After Ms Peake's case appeared in the Guardian, many readers wrote in to say they too had been caught out for breaking the time limit at Homebase- even though they had genuinely been shopping at the store.

Homebase has said any customers targeted by G24 on its carpark should bring their receipts to the store and the fine will be waived.

A spokeswoman for the store said: "To ensure genuine customers have the convenience of parking outside the store Homebase sub-contracted the management of the car park to G24, a parking management company.

"We have made every effort to ensure customers are aware of the parking time limit through signage, both in the car park, and inside the store.

"We are pleased to learn that Ms Peake and G24 have resolved the outstanding dispute."

G24 has declined to comment.