A CHARITY worker has blasted a car-parking company after being slapped with a colossal £95 fine...and Mayor of St Helens John Beirne who is running a shop local campaign says she’s got every right to be angry.

Lorraine Maudsley filed a complaint against G24, the London-based company responsible for the Sports Direct car park in St Helens town centre.

Lorraine, aged 39, claims signs informing shoppers about parking are not clear.

She believes shoppers could turn their backs on St Helens and revert to spending their money in larger urban shopping outlets where parking is free.

The mother-of-one said: “People have to be aware of this, I have a job so I can pay it but a lot of people wouldn’t be able to afford these fines.

"I went to get my haircut and it ended up costing me over a hundred pounds. I had no idea that you could get fined so much, we had no idea about it - it’s frightening. The punishment just doesn’t fit the crime.”

Lorraine, who is from Warrington, visited the Sports Direct store whilst volunteering for a local charity on March 14 and was unaware that parking charges applied to the privately owned car park.

After leaving the shop she went to get a haircut but returned to find she had been issued with a £95 parking penalty after exceeding the permitted free 60-minute stay by 49 minutes.

She has been told that she has 28 days to pay up.

When asked if she would continue to shop in the area after her ordeal, Lorraine stated that she “would definitely go to Warrington.”

Mayor of St Helens, Cllr John Beirne, is backing a drive that aims to persuade shoppers to support local business instead of travelling to Liverpool and Manchester.

He went to the Sports Direct car park to see for himself if signs were clear and is warning shoppers to take care when parking.

He said: “£95 is a disgusting fine to charge but the council have no authority on a private car park, if you did the same in Wigan or Warrington I’m sure you would be fine in a private car park.

“There are more prominent signs needed in this area. I don’t want to see this company making a big profit from shoppers.

“I am also asking for a meeting to try and address some of the recent problems connected with the recent introduction of traffic wardens. More notification of where you can park is needed.”

In January, the St Helens Star reported the introduction of a new parking system in the borough in which the highest penalty set by the council is £70, which can be reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. Next door to the G24 car park, a Council-owned site charges just £1.20 for two hours of parking.

G24 has no connections with St Helens Council and is permitted to set its own penalty tariffs. It sets a flat rate £95 penalty that can only be reduced by £20 if it is paid within 48 hours.

Sports Direct do not own the car park and parking solutions company G24 handle all fines and complaints. When approached by the Star, G24 refused to comment on Lorraine’s story.