A pensioner was slapped with a £2,051 (€2,300) parking fines bill after treating his grandson to a Happy Meal.
John Babbage, 75, dozed while the lad played with pals first – and cameras caught him breaking the free two-hour stay by 17 minutes.
But four £100 fines were sent to an address that does not exist – and the first that John and his wife Libby, 71, knew was when bailiffs arrived with a van.
Libby said: “There was a knock at 8.30am. I knew you’re not obliged to let them in, but it was terrifying.”
Debt collection firm DCBL – which featured in Channel 5 series Can’t Pay? We’ll Take It Away! – demanded the £400 in fines… and £1,651 in costs.
The frightened couple refused to let them in while Libby frantically called DCBL’s head office. But she claims they refused to believe they had never received the tickets.
The four-year-old fines were imposed when retired businessman John took Tyler, now 12, to a shopping centre in their home town of Luton, Beds, for a McDonald’s.
John and Libby recently learned that Highview Parking, which runs the car park, had obtained a county court judgement – days before the bailiffs arrived.
The case is due in court next month.
McDonald’s said it did not own the car park but it has asked the operator to review the fine.
Highview Parking was asked for comment.
Meanwhile, John says there will be no more Happy Meals.
He said: “It’s been a nightmare.”
