Kentish Express Ashford & District
Auctioneer steps up to pay mum’s parking fine
An auctioneer has pledged his support to a mum who was fined after parking in a space for private patients while taking her disabled son to hospital.
Vicki Kidney, 35, from Breadlands Close in Willesborough, had taken her eight-year-old son Lukas to the William Harvey Hospital for his hydrotherapy session when she was fined earlier this month.
Despite holding a disabled parking badge, she was told she was not allowed to park in a marked disabled bay with Lukas because the space was for private health patients only.
She said: “I went to where I have parked previously without any problems and displayed the disabled badge, but the spaces seem to have been given over to private patients.
“It means the nearest disabled spaces are in the main car park a quarter of a mile away. “There is no way Lukas can walk that far.
“He can’t go and play with his friends when they are running around and playing, so hydrotherapy is important for him to be able to move, as well as being an essential part of his recovery.”
She said Lukas has been through hell because of a rare condition of being born with bones missing in his legs, lead- ing to years of painful operations and surgery.
Ms Kidney said was she intended to appeal the £20 fine, and stated that she has given up her job to look after her son.
Since the story appeared in the Kentish Express two weeks ago, property auctioneer Clive Emson came forward to offer his support to her pay the fine if her appeal is unsuccessful.
He said: “When I first saw it I just thought it was a jobs for the boys kind of attitude.
“It annoys me these days that people are not allowed to use a bit of initiative.
“When you see the condition of her son’s legs, why shouldn’t she have parked in the nearest disabled bays? With all she has on her plate, she doesn’t need to be worrying about another £20 fine.
“I’ve offered to pay the fine, because it would take the pressure off her. It is from a fund I’ve set up with a group of friends. It’s not a charity, it is created to help people in these kind of situations because it can make a significant difference.”