Badge fine refund for blind woman

The tickets have an expiry date on one side and a photo on the other

A 91-year-old blind woman who was fined by a council for displaying her disabled blue badge the wrong way round, is to get her money back.

Blackpool Council said on Tuesday it will reimburse the £30 fine paid by Mrs Alice Barnes as a goodwill gesture.

But it warned other blue badge holders to make sure that their permits are displayed correctly.

Mrs Barnes was fined and got a ticket because the side of the card with the date should have been shown.

The permit was on the dashboard of her son's car in Blackpool with her photograph on display.

The badges do not have display guidelines but the council says a booklet supplied with the badges has clear instructions.