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This Driver Had His Parking Fine Overturned After Presenting A Hilarious Stick Man Drawing As Evidence

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A Lidl customer has escaped a £90 parking fine after presenting a hilarious stick man drawing as proof he used the shop.

Teacher Steve Crowley, 40, received a demand through the post asking him to provide evidence that he visited the store when using the car park.

But when he was unable to find his receipt, he decided to try something a little different.

After drawing a child-like sketch of his family’s shopping trip, he emailed it as proof – and, incredibly, it worked.

The drawing features himself as a stick man saying: “Hey kids! It’s approximately 12.30pm on 01.04.16! Time to go shopping!”

The sarcastic picture even depicts a Lidl employee leaning against a wall "having a sneaky cigarette” when he should be “accurately inputting customer vehicle details into their computers”.

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The sketch Steve submitted (SWNS)

Amazingly, Athena ANPR Ltd, acting on behalf of Lidl, accepted it as good enough proof that he had shopped at the store and cancelled his fine.

They wrote: “Thank you for your email in regards to the above parking charge. We can confirm that the above parking charge has been cancelled.”

Steve was convinced the fine was not legally enforceable so decided to submit the illustration as a tongue-in-cheek joke.

“It’s hilarious that they accepted it,” he said. “Their car parking policy isn’t about protecting Lidl customers – it’s about making money.”

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Steve was given a £45 fine rising to £90 (SWNS)

Private firms cannot legally penalise drivers for misusing private land but can impose a charge for potential losses or damages.

Failure to pay is not a criminal act but, though it is unlikely as it is so expensive, you can be taken to civil court and ordered to pay.

A Lidl spokeswoman said systems are in place in some stores to keep car parking spaces available for customers.

She said: “We encourage any genuine Lidl customers who have incorrectly received a parking charge notice to get in touch with us directly via our Customer Services hotline.

"Customers who have overstayed in one of our car parks should then just provide us with proof of purchase and we will appeal the charge on their behalf.”

A spokesperson for Athena ANPR Ltd said: "Mr Crowley’s charge was overturned as a gesture of goodwill as he claimed to be a shopper this was the first time he had received a charge from us.

"If a genuine customer does receive a charge and they can prove that they shop at the store then we will be happy to cancel the charge”

(Credit: SWNS)