Thanks so much to everyone for their support. I have told my in-laws to pass on all their mail to me and not to worry - having read them some of the replies has definitely made this a bit easier for them. I hadn't thought of going to the press etc but once they start getting harassed (as seems inevitable) i will certainly ask them if i can do that as it may just help bring it to the attention and help other people in a similar situation. Once again, thanks to everyone, without your help i would definitely have paid up for them after receiving all the threatening letters and possibility of bailiffs just to stop the worry and not really knowing what the outcome of non-payment would be.

My elderly father-in-law received a car parking ticket for parking in a disabled parking bay at a local hospital. He displayed his disabled permit but returned to find he had a ticket stating that the bay was 'marked off' and that he had moved traffic cones restricting use of the disabled bay. My father in law is 86 with heart problems and could not possibly move these cones himself - somebody before him may have moved them but not him. He has written to Euro car parks to appeal against the ticket, including a s.a.e but has not had a reply. The 3 week appeal time limit runs out tomorrow and he is worried sick as he cannot afford the increased fine for non-payment within the time limit. Can anybody tell me whether Euro car parks are entitled to increase the fine whilst an appeal is outstanding and, if they reject it, whether he can appeal against the rejection? Grateful for any advice and help, both he and my mother in law are worried sick about paying the fine and although i would like to pay it for them, i also want to fight it for them as i think it is so out of order.