A SHOPPER claims two brief visits to a supermarket in one day led to him being fined for using a car park for 11 hours.

Carlton Gardiner, 54, of Lyne Crescent, Walthamstow, said he first drove to Lidl in High Street, Walthamstow, at 8.30am on April 1.

He then returned to the store at 7.30pm that evening. But a week ago he was stunned to receive notification that he had been fined for outstaying his welcome, which included CCTV pictures of his car.

The store manager said he could not help as all parking matters are dealt with by Athena Ltd, but when he phoned the company he could only access an automated payment system.

He said: “I feel disgusted by this behaviour. I could not believe it when I got the letter.

“I was going to pay then I looked at it properly and thought, this cannot be right.

“I had even parked in a different part of the carpark, but it's like they did not bother to check in between the times, to see if my car was really there all day.

“I shop at Lidl for my convenience so it's likely I might come to the shop more than once in one day."

A spokeswoman for Athena said there had been problems with people leaving their cars all day in the car park.

She added: “If Mr Gardiner was not there for the duration of the time stated he can send us a quick email with the details and the matter will be investigated."

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