ON SEPTEMBER 26, I had occasion to use the Sainsbury’s car park in Poole.

When I tried to obtain a ticket, the machine rejected all my coins, so I walked to the next nearest machine, but was faced with the same result.

I placed a note in the windscreen of my car explaining that the machines were out of order and continued about my business, noting at the same time that there was a young lady with a toddler having the same problem.

Imagine my horror when I returned around one hour later to find a penalty charge awaiting me.

I challenged it, certain that my explanation of the circumstances would be accepted and absolve me of blame, but instead I was advised that I should have continued around the car park in pursuit of a machine that was operational.

A problem was confirmed with one machine but this was not considered to be an excuse.

That evening, my Echo arrived saying ‘2,642 extra tickets issued helps Poole raise £5.4m’.

I can’t help wondering whether I was the victim of a deliberate, revenue-raising ploy to trap the innocent and would be interested to know if anyone else has been similarly targeted.

JANET SERVICE, Victoria Close, Corfe Mullen