Have just lost my temper with a person from the council after receiving a second penalty notice for double the amount on a supposedly outstanding parking fine. I called earlier and remained calm but when the supervisor called me back I'm afraid I was not very calm and collected. My appeal was turned down at the end of May and I grudgingly sent them a cheque for the payment which they have lost/never arrived.

The night we went to the cinema for my husban's birthday treat the machine would not accept the full pament (60p short) and I left a note and the outstanding money on the windscreen showing my intension to pay and put the outstanding money through the council office door the next morning with a covering note to that effect.

The reason I blew a gasket was that one of the parking attendants recently, when asked how the machine actually worked (no clear instructions on it) just laughed and said "Oh, we catch a lot of people out that way!"

I have now been told to see my bank (to stop the cheque will cost me £15 + bus fare or parking charge of £1.10 minimum) and issue another cheque. Don't know whether to laugh, cry, stuff my face or what. Can't settle to do anything, I'm so frustrated and angry!

Well, that's got that off my chest.........sorry girls.