A MOTHER has been fined £240 - for parking outside her house.

Yumiko Keeble lives at Lawnside Mews, a gated West Didsbury development, with her husband Jeremy, 46, and baby William.

She parks her Ford Fiesta in an allocated space 20 yards from their front door.

But then Mrs Keeble, 34, returned from a shopping trip to learn a warden from a firm employed by the management company had been inspecting the car.

Mrs Keeble said the warden, from Vehicle Control Services Limited, stopped short of writing out a ticket after her husband pointed out they had parked in their allocated space and showed him a permit in the car window.

But now the couple have received a letter which says they owe £240 for two separate parking infringements.

Mrs Keeble said: "When I contacted the firm, they said that unless we paid, they would take us to court and be fined £1,000. They were very aggressive. I explained what the warden said to my husband and they accused him of lying.

"My husband eventually rang them and paid. It's ridiculous that you should be fined for parking in your own space."

Nick Hill, of Vehicle Control Services Ltd, said the company had operated a parking enforcement scheme since 2003, using signs that warn permits must be displayed. He added: "In one case, the ticket was not on display. In the most recent case, all I can suggest is that the permit wasn't clearly displayed.

"We haven't bullied anybody.

"If one of the directors of the management company writes to us on Mrs Keeble's behalf, we will look at all the factors and take a view on the situation."