A PARKING attendant has relived his horror after he was knocked down by a driver who was asked to move off yellow lines outside a school.

Malcolm Riddiough, a Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council parking attendant, was on patrol outside Teesville Infants School when the incident happened on July 19 last year.

Mr Riddiough, a parking attendant for 15 years, said: "I just approached him and talked to him because he was illegally parked. Then, after he dropped his passengers off, I asked him to move. Then as I was crossing the road, I heard the car rev up, a screech of brakes and he had mounted the pavement. I was pushed to the ground, badly shaken."

The driver, Paul Fawcett, 42, of Westbourne Grove, Teesville, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court this week. He was given 200 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from driving for 18 months when he must retake his test.

Mr Riddiough said: "I think it's a good sentence and I hope it sends out a warning to other drivers."

The sentence brought an end to a traumatic week for Mr Riddiough, after he attended the funeral of his cousin, Colin, who died in a mountaineering accident in southern Spain.

Council cabinet chairman Councillor Eric Empson, said: "Parking attendants, traffc wardens and crossing patrol officers all have our 100 per cent support.

"We would expect drivers to respect them, too, as they go about their work to try and make the roads safer for everyone. We hope other motorists take heed of the severity of the sentence."