A 96-YEAR-OLD man has lost his appeal to get his driving licence back... and was landed with a £2,000 bill for his trouble.

Edgar Parrett says he will have to sell his car to pay the charge, which covers the DVLA’s costs of following the case through court.

The World War II veteran had held his full driving licence for 72 years before it was revoked by the DVLA in December last year.

Bournemouth Magistrates Court heard Dorset Police were contacted on November 19 last year by a member of public claiming Mr Parrett was driving erratically and dangerously in his Alfa Romeo.

Jonathan Pennington-Lee said two police officers visited Mr Parrett at home and conducted a roadside eye test, which he failed.

Mr Parrett, who used to work for the Ministry of Transport and the MOD, was notified his licence had been revoked on December 2 but was told he could reapply by taking a driving assessment which involved an eyesight test.

Dr Stephanie Williams, a medical witness for the DVLA, read the police report which stated Mr Parrett failed the 20-metre eyesight test and could not read it beyond 10 metres “This is really quite severe and is a severe fail,” she said.

“In my opinion this person was likely to be a danger on the road.”

She said a letter from Mr Parrett’s GP said he had done well in a memory test and his reaction time was “not too bad” and he had good neck movement.

She added that a test was run by Specsavers in November last year and his vision was just above the standard, although she did not know if this was the British or the lower European standard.

She said this information was not enough for her to say he could drive.

Widower Mr Parrett, of Meadow Way, Verwood, told the court the visit from the police officers came as “complete surprise” to him.

When he was asked to read the number plate for the eyesight test, he was wearing his reading glasses and there was a dirty smudge on the number plate, he said.

He added: “I am very careful when I drive. I didn’t drive my car dangerously.”

Adrian Dalton, chair of the bench, said: “The DVLA, we believe, were correct in revoking your licence because you did fail an eyesight test.

“There was very little evidence produced by you to counteract that, therefore we dismiss the appeal.”

Mr Pennington-Lee asked for costs for the DVLA of £2,640, but this was reduced to £2,000 by the bench.

Asked how he was going to pay, Mr Parrett said: “I do not have access to large sums of money but the car can be sold to pay my expenses.”

Wearing his trilby and carrying a walking stick, Mr Parrett added: “I won’t be applying for my licence again for the simple reason that I suppose my days are numbered.

“I will manage and will have to readjust my daily life. I don’t have anyone else to worry about.”

He said he would continue travelling by bus from now on.