A COUPLE have hit out at a car-parking company after a return trip to the shops to buy a pint of milk ‘cost them £101’.

Accrington man Mario Morante was out shopping with his wife when a misunderstanding in the multi-storey car park of the Arndale Shopping Centre, Accrington, landed him with a £100 fine.

The pair have said they are ‘absolutely disgusted’ with the fine, which was delivered to them in the post a week after their shopping trip.

Mr Morante, 60, explained how they had first entered the car park at around 1pm on July 16 to complete their weekly food shop.

After they had packed their shopping into their car and left the car park, Mrs Morante realised they had forgotten to buy milk, so they re-entered the car park to buy their remaining groceries.

Mr Morante said: “We didn’t think twice about going back into the car park so we couldn’t understand it when we opened the letter in the post to see the fine.

“It transpires that the car parking company operate a policy where by if you re-enter the car park within 90 minutes, you’re issued a £100 fine.

“The whole thing is absolutely pathetic. The signs into the shopping centre are not clear and we now understand that people are getting caught out on a regular basis. This is nothing but a money making scam.”

Mr Morante went on to explain that he and his wife would not be using the car park again.

He said: “This is the reason this shopping centre and car park is always empty. The Arndale is getting quieter and quieter and you can understand why when this is the way they treat customers.

“We know other people that this has happened too as well, it seems to be an ongoing issue.

“They market the space as a free car park but that is really not the case.”

Other shoppers have also been in touch with the Lancashire Telegraph in the past to voice their concerns at the ‘unclear signs’ displayed within the shopping centre car park.

Mr Morante has said he will dispute the fine but doesn’t know how far it will go.

ES Parking Enforcement and The Arndale Centre did not respond to requests for a comment.