A Hartlepool woman has told of her fear after receiving debt collection letters for a parking fine, despite paying to park in the first place.

Elle Gray-Thynne, 28, parked at the car park at Navigation Point on Hartlepool Marina on January 14 when she and her partner, Matty, went out for an evening meal.

The couple paid for their parking online but later received a letter from parking firm North West Parking Management which looks after the marina site just days later claiming she had failed to pay for parking.

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Elle, a new mum to three-month-old son Killian told The Northern Echo: “Me and my partner went out for a meal back in January and we paid to park online.

“I got a letter a few days later with a fine but I knew we had paid and had proof from the receipts online so I emailed their appeals department and didn’t get anything back.”

When the parking company did reply to Elle’s emails, they told her she was beyond the time limit to submit an appeal, despite her having first emailed them to appeal the charge just five days after the parking spell, on January 19.

The Northern Echo: The couple- parked opposite the Thai Village on Navigation Point. Picture: GOOGLEThe couple- parked opposite the Thai Village on Navigation Point. Picture: GOOGLE

The company claims to have replied to the email from Elle on January 25 but Elle says she received no such email.

The new mum then started receiving debt collection letters, with the first on her doormat when she arrived back from hospital after giving birth.

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The Northern Echo: Picture: ELLE GRAY-THYNNEPicture: ELLE GRAY-THYNNE

She added: “This was all quite late in my pregnancy and when I emailed and heard nothing back I thought that must be the end of it, but then I started getting the debt collection letters. I think I got the first when I got back from hospital after giving birth.

“I was scared about being fined but adamant not to pay because I can prove we had paid to park.”

Debt collectors now say she owes £170 for the £2.50 parking session they said she didn’t pay for.

The Northern Echo has contacted parking firm North West Parking Management for a comment.

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