An 85-year-old litter picker was left fuming after being slapped with a littering fine for accidentally leaving his walking stick by the roadside.
Alan Davies was hit with a penalty notice from Walsall Council, leaving him “shocked, angry and upset”, after a forgetful moment in Aldridge, West Midlands on September 6.
Alan, along with his friends, had been diligently cleaning up the area along Longwood Lane and Hayhead Wood as part of their daily routine to keep the streets clean.
The grandfather was distraught to later realise he’d driven away without his walking stick and a bag containing his cushion, which he’d placed at the kerbside.
The pensioner alleges the council scoured CCTV footage to identify him using his car’s registration number, before sending him the fine last week.
(Image: Getty Images)
The retired builder said: “Why would I leave my walking stick there on purpose?
“I want it back, but I cannot speak to anyone human about the fine.”
“I need my walking stick, they have taken the trouble to track me down – and after all I’ve done for the area, they could have given me my walking stick back.
“They have tried to bankrupt me.”
Alan’s pals, who also share his passion for keeping the town tidy, have been trying to get through to Walsall Council in his defence but have been told to lodge their concerns via email.
John, who is part of Alan’s litter-picking squad, said: “They are non-negotiable.
“They will not listen. Or talk to you over the phone.
“They need to prove intent and there is none – he drove off by mistake.”
The letter from Walsall Council’s Community Protection Department states: “If payment is not received proceedings maybe taken against you where you maybe liable to a fine of up to a maximum of £2500.”
Attached to the letter were two CCTV images capturing Alan and John walking towards their car, and then another snap, taken 10 minutes later, showing the walking stick and cushion on the ground.
John said in frustration: “There is a 10-minute gap between the pictures.
“They obviously could not be bothered to look at the picture or film which shows him driving off and forgetting the stick and bag with his cushion in, surely they have to prove some kind of intent.
“Instead it is like trying to talk to a brick wall.”
Every morning, before many people have even started their day, Alan and his pals are out and about in Aldridge tidying up rubbish, with Alan bringing his cushion for a spot of relaxation with a coffee mid-clean-up.
The dedicated local stated: “Beer cans, takeaway rubbish you name it we pick it up.”
John added: “We even fixed the benches in the park in our own time and with our own money.
Alan’s neighbour Ann said: “£150 is a lot of money for a pensioner. You cannot speak to the council on phone it has to be email, not everyone has the internet. Hopefully when people realise what Alan is being put through the council will back down.”
Walsall Council has yet to respond to requests for comment.
For more incredible stories from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters