Shop flier covering permit cost me £225

Giles Donovan had his car towed away after his resident's parking permit was covered up by an advertising flier.

Mr Donovan, 25, had to pay £225 to release his Mercedes 220, which he had left in Wardour Street, Soho, close to his flat in Rupert Street with the permit displayed on the windscreen.

When he returned to the car two days later, he found it had been taken to a
pound - and still had the flier, for a clothes shop sale, tucked under a windscreen wiper.

"I showed the staff that it was obscuring the permit and said that surely they should let me off as it was obvious I was entitled to park in the residents' bay," he said. "But they just told me I would have to pay ?200 to have the car released."

The construction project manager had to pay the fine and another ?25 penalty for leaving his vehicle at the pound for more than 48 hours.

Mr Donovan is to appeal to Westminster council, claiming two cars have been left in Wardour Street since being abandoned weeks ago. "These guys are going nuts, grabbing every car they can," he said.

The council said it will investigate if he appeals.