AN NHS nurse has expressed shock after a 'human error' resulted in a parking fine whilst on his duties in Tavistock.

Andrew Ford paid £3.50 for four hours at Bedford Square, Tavistock, using a mobile phone app called RingGo.

But when he returned after visiting patients he saw he had received a parking ticket for non-payment.

Unknown to Mr Ford, the app defaults automatically to any cars previously owned and registered on the app.

Mr Ford said: 'A few years ago when visiting patients in Tavistock I used the RingGo app and it logged all my details.

'But since then I sold that car and got a new one and so when I used the RingGo app again I didn't realise it defaulted to my old car.

'I was surprised to see that I had a parking ticket for non payment.

'However, I had still paid for my parking and thought that the council would understand that it was a genuine human error.'

When Mr Ford appealed to the council with all details of what had happened and a copy of the receipt to show he had paid, along with screen shots from the app to show the mistake, he was shocked at the response.

He said: 'The council would not listen and insisted that I paid the fine, because in their minds I had not paid for the car I was driving.

'I contacted them and said why would I pay for a car I no longer owned and couldn't they see it was a genuine human error, but that I had actually paid for my parking.

'They would not have it at all and would not listen, and said it was my responibility to check.

'I am a hard working honest citizen and if I had parked illegally and been caught then I would have paid the fine.

'However, I genuinely feel in this case that I have been robbed by the council because I have paid them the parking fee and now the fine which I feel they have unjustly levied on me.

'I'm a nurse, I'm not made of money.

'It's a small amount to them but not to me and it's the principle.'

A spokesperson for West Devon Borough Council said: 'The vast majority of people who use the RingGo smartphone app park successfully and find it easy to use.

'The app allows people to store a number of registrations and asks the driver to select which car they are parking at that particular time.

'It is the responsibility of the motorist to check they have selected the correct vehicle in the app.

'When we consider an appeal against a parking fine we do take into account extenuating circumstances and deal with each case on its merits.'