Warden issues tickets in free zone

For some it was the chance to see a matin?e at the cinema or on stage, for others the attractions of the summer sales in Covent Garden.

By mid-afternoon around 50 motorists had taken advantage of the free parking in Lincoln's Inn Fields and headed off into the West End.

When they returned, however, they noticed that on every payanddisplay ticketing machine in the street - where signs indicate that parking is free on Sundays - yellow plastic stickers had been placed reading "No waiting, loading or unloading." And on the windscreen of every car was an £80 parking ticket.

A traffic warden had suspended the free parking long after dozens of people had already taken advantage of it. Property developer Andrew Haycock said he had gone out of his way to check he was parking his car legally. He said: "When I parked my car at 2pm all the machines were working fine. I went into town and came back at 4.30pm to find a ticket on my car, the machines covered up and the parking bays suspended.

"There was nothing up to say they were going to do this. I spoke to another traffic warden who says Westminster council has done this before and it's totally illegal."

Mr Haycock, 37, from Willesden Green, said he had "no intention" of paying the fine, adding: "This traffic warden has made it up as he's gone along."

Today Westminster City Council, which has launched an investigation into the incident, said it would not be pursuing any of the tickets issued in Lincoln's Inn Fields last Sunday.