A WOMAN who spent £1,100 with a travel agent is boycotting the company after being fined £45 for parking too long at its sister supermarket.

Gillian Parker-Smith is the latest Co-op shopper to be fined for breaching the two-hour free parking regulation at the Richmond store.

She said she will no longer shop there or use the company's Travel Care agency in the town's Market Place.

Other shoppers have protested at fines of up to £90 demanded by Civil Enforcement Ltd, which runs the car park. Last month, Mac Bryant vowed to go to court rather than pay up and, in March, Leslie Rowe staged a protest outside the store.

Mrs Parker-Smith said: "I overstayed by 23 minutes, but I was actually collecting my till receipt when the camera swiped my car the second time. I sent a copy of the receipt to Civil Enforcement, but I got an abrupt letter saying they couldn't do anything about it, but they limited the fine to £45 instead of £90."

She added: "I spent £1,100 at Travel Care on a trip to Australia, but I won't be going back because it is part of the Co-op. I shop two or three times a week at the supermarket, but I won't go back."

Co-op shoppers are allowed two hours' free parking, to stop people using it as a free all-day car park.

A company spokesman said Civil Enforcement was hired after complaints from customers who could not find spaces.