A COUNCIL has threatened to fine a pensioner £2,500 for using leaflets it gave him to warn off people selling cars on the side of a main highway.

Philip Snape, of Shaftesbury Avenue, Burnley was given the posters by borough officials in 2014 to tackle vehicles advertised for sale while parked dangerously on Manchester Road.

In June 2014, the retired manager met Burnley Council officers who asked him to place the leaflets on offending cars with ‘For Sale’ stickers.

His local Rosehill councillor Jeff Sumner was present.

Mr Snape, now 72, has continued to use the posters to deter the sellers, often traders from elsewhere.

Last year he started receiving letters from the council complaining about his actions although the problem continues.

In March he received a headed notice under anti-social behaviour legislation from Burnley Council, with a Lancashire Constabulary logo, ordering him to stop or face a fine of ‘up to £2,500’ and possible ‘seizure of items’.

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Cllr Sumner said: “This letter is heavy-handed and unnecessarily threatening.

“Mr Snape was asked to do this by the council at a meeting I attended and was doing a public service.

“Instead of meeting him and discussing the issue, the council have sent him a very threatening letter.”

Cllr Gordon Birtwistle, leader of the council Liberal Democrat group, said: “This letter is mystifying.

“How can the council threaten to fine a pensioner £2,500 for putting out leaflets it gave him to distribute?

“It is extremely heavy-handed and unnecessary.”

Mr Snape first became involved in 2008 when Burnley council and police were cracking down on cars sold illegally by traders on the side of Manchester Road, Colne Road and Padiham Road.

After the borough streetscene officer who gave him the A5 notices died, his successors have taken a different view following complaints.

Mr Snape said: “I was asked to do this by the council to save officer time.

“It was a real problem with up to 25 cars parked for sale on Manchester Road, often by traders from elsewhere in the borough.

“It has decreased but is still an issue and dangerous.

“This about safety but the council don’t seem to care any more.

“The letter was very heavy-handed and threatening. I have stopped doing it so I don’t get fined.”

A Burnley Council spokesman said: “We did work with Mr Snape in 2014 to try and resolve legitimate issues he raised on the understanding that he worked within the legislation.

“Mr Snape has used the leaflets to target people who are selling their car privately and which are being lawfully parked and advertised.

“We’ve had numerous complaints from residents and a local business. We traced this back to Mr Snape. In all cases the cars were being lawfully advertised.

“We’ve contacted Mr Snape numerous times, politely informed him of the situation and asked him to stop using the leaflets but he has continued to target lawfully advertised cars. We’ve tried to work with Mr Snape but he’s refused to stop and we’ve reached the point where we’ve had to issue a warning letter.

“ We will continue to take enforcement action against those who purport to be private sellers but who are operating a business from the roadside.”