I SEE the parking wardens were out in force making their Christmas bonus for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

I am a disabled driver and on Thursday, December 23, 2004 I drove into town to pick a Christmas present up for my son.

I drove down Brown Street, Blackburn, where there are disabled parking bays on the left-hand side and parked up behind two other cars in the last bay. I displayed my blue badge and my parking time disc and went to the shops.

On returning to my vehicle approximately 15 minutes later I noticed there was a penalty notice stuck on my windscreen. On reading the notice it informed me I was parked in a loading bay.

The road marking the end bay I had parked is split into two with the front of the bay for disabled and the rear of the bay for loading.

It is situated at the side of the job centre on Brown Street and is the only bay which is split in half like this.

I would have thought the parking wardens would have a bit of seasonal goodwill but I was wrong and all they seem to be doing is hiding in shop doorways waiting to pounce.

I am on disability benefits and can ill-afford to pay penalty notices.

This loading bay seems to have been created as a money spinner to catch disabled drivers out.

I wrote a letter to the finance department at the town hall on December 23, 2004 but to date I have had no reply.

M SHORE (Mr), Shorrock Lane, Mill Hill, Blackburn.