Highways chiefs have backed down after a traffic warden slapped tickets on the cars of village remembrance service churchgoers.

Drivers and passengers who attended the Gulworthy church remembrance service on Sunday (November 9) were upset to come out of church to find parking fines on their windscreens.

They have since raised the issue with local councillors who backed their call for the fines to be dropped.

Their case was heard by highways officials at Devon County Council who immediately cancelled the fines, apologised and said anyone who had already paid would be reimbursed because they were ‘wrongly’ issued. Everyone affected would be contacted.

Angela Blackman, West Devon Borough councillor, said: “I attended remembrance at St Paul’s at Gulworthy, a really beautiful remembrance service by Rev Judith Blowey with a great turnout.

“This was spoiled as we returned to our vehicles to find a number of parking tickets had been issued near the bus stop, which does not run a service on Sundays.

“We were in the church for about 25 minutes, following the laying of the wreaths at the memorial.

“A parking attendant must have come and gone whilst the service in the church was underway. I’m appalled that this happened during the remembrance service.

“We were all astonished and greatly disappointed to come out of the church to this.

“I will be making contact with Devon County Council to address this as it is wholly unacceptable. Parishioners attending a lovely remembrance service on a wet Sunday morning should not be greeted with this.”

A spokesperson for Devon County Council confirmed to the Tavistock Times that the tickets issued outside Gulworthy church were issued ‘in error’ and the council was cancelling them.

He said: “The tickets were issued in error. We are contacting those who received a ticket in error to apologise and to cancel the penalty. They will not need to pay, and if they have already, we will reimburse them.”