MOTORISTS issued with £50 parking fines in error the day before a food festival have had their tickets cancelled by a council.

The 21 vehicles had fixed penalty notices slapped on their windscreens in Market Street, Darwen, after restrictions for the event in the Town Square were mistakenly imposed 12 hours early.

Parking wardens following their instructions and the 6am start time on the signs issued the tickets not realising the blunder by their bosses.

Local councillors Dave Smith and Jane Oates received several phone calls from upset and angry residents and took up the issue with Blackburn with Darwen Council Parling Services Department

After a brief investigation 19 of them were cancelled but two, for other more serious parking offences, remain in force.

Managers discovered that the suspended parking bay signs, put in place on the Wednesday in order to give at least 48 hrs notice of their closure, said the suspension started at 6am on Friday not 6pm as requested by Darwen Town Council.

Borough Civil Enforcement Officers issued 21 parking tickets to vehicles parked in these spaces according to the signs on site. These have now been cancelled apart from two issued for more serious parking contraventions.

Darwen East's Cllr Oates said: "I had numerous phone calls from angry residents about this mistake. I and the motorists affected are pleased this has been out right and the tickets rescinded."

Darwen West's Cllr Smith said: "I am delighted this been sorted out swiftly. It was an administrative blunder. I shall check next year to make sure it does not happen again/"

Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Council highways boss, said: "It was an unfortunate mistake. The council put it right as soon as the error was realised."