A CAFÉ worker has said she would rather go to prison than pay a “petty” parking fine which was issued as she and her husband manoeuvred their cars in their own driveway.

Denise Salthouse, 55, was slapped with a ticket after she parked for “less than 30 seconds” on a yellow line outside her own home in Kings Avenue, Woodford Green, while her partner moved his car.

Mrs Salthouse, who works at Cafe and Co in Snakes Lane West, believes the traffic warden was lying in wait on the street for such temporary manoeuvres and has vowed to fight the fine all the way.

She said: “It's just nasty and vindictive. I got out of my car while my husband moved his and gave him the keys. After he'd moved my car back into the driveway he came into the house and said I had been given a ticket.

“I couldn't believe it, it's just appalling. The warden must have been watching me from the other side of the road and issued the fine from a distance.

"It said on the ticket that he couldn't record my tax disc details because they were obscured, but that's ridiculous because my tax disc is screwed onto the windscreen in a security device.”

Mrs Salthouse has been told she must pay the £50 fine after being observed breaking traffic regulations between “3.59pm and 4.00pm” on Saturday, January 23.

She has already complained to Redbridge Council and intends to apply for an independent appeal if they refuse to waive the fine.

“I'll go to prison if I have to,” she said. “There's no way I'm paying that fine.”

A spokeswoman for Redbridge Council said: "The Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was issued to a vehicle parked on a parking restriction (single yellow line).

"Every effort is made to manage parking enforcement in the borough on a fair and consistent basis and any vehicle found committing a contravention will be issued with a PCN.

"Mrs Salthouse has written to the council and wishes to make an appeal against the PCN, this is currently on hold and will be investigated.

"Mrs Salthouse will be formally advised of the decision.

"The council has a policy not to discuss the specific details of parking appeals with anyone other than the appellant. However, the council can assure residents that it does thoroughly consider all PCN appeals."