I recently had the unpleasant experience of being fined £30 for inadvertently parking 40 minutes in a 20 minute zone in Kington.

Although I was in breach of the law, I presented no obstruction and despite having presented an exceptionally good case to Herefordshire Council, my appeal for mercy has fallen on deaf ears.

Then a letter appeared in the Hereford Times from a Kington man complaining bitterly about the shambolic state of parking in this small town.As I live far away on the other side of the county and visit Kington only one day a year, I was completely thrown by the changes too.

Is it the policy of the council (far away in Hereford and surely unaware of circumstances in Kington) for no allowances, no mercy, no discretion only heartless contempt?

There is still time for the various authorities to have second thoughts and to dismiss this charge with a caution. Should this be the case, I will happily submit my vote of thanks and withdraw my objections in an announcement in this paper.

But if I have not heard anything by the end of the month, I would urge visitors, for trade or tourism, to stay away from Kington at all costs.

R E George,

Bredenbury, Bromyard.