Paul Blakey, who owns Devilish Shoes in Queens Road, South Shields, with his wife Samantha, has slammed the decision by parking chiefs to fine him, while he says his car was parked a few feet away from the entrance to his shop.

He claims the ticket was dished out last month while he was parked on a single yellow line, loading rubbish into the vehicle for recycling.

Mr Blakey says he had to close the boot, while dashing in and out of the store, because of the weather.

He said: "We get lots of boxes and packaging. I was putting them in the car at 9am, so they could be recycled."

But as the father-of-one was making a return trip to the shop, which has been open for nine weeks, he came outside to face a civil enforcement officer (CEO) making out a parking ticket.

He said: "I'd temporarily closed my boot because it had started to snow, and obviously I didn't want the inside of my car soaking wet.

"But I was still actively going back and forth, and it was obvious what I was doing."

But it was too late for the 35-year-old, from Westoe, South Shields.

He'd already been hit with a £70 fine – which would be reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.

Mr Blakey decided to appeal the fine but APCOA – a private firm which took over parking management in the borough after South Tyneside Council tendered the contract last year – told him that, after careful consideration of his circumstances, he had no grounds for the fine to be cancelled.

Mr Blakey now has to wait until later this month when a 'notice to owner' will be sent out, and he will be able to make a formal challenge to the council.

The council can then dismiss the fine if it considers all correct procedures have met.

A spokesman for APCOA said: "All CEOs are there to make sure drivers follow parking rules, which apply to everyone.

"They respond to the vehicle, not the driver or the circumstance.

"There is a formal appeals process detailed on the reverse of the penalty charge notice (PCN) that Mr Blakey should follow if he feels he had been unfairly treated."