Day or night, you won't miss a story with the Liverpool Echo newsletter Sign me up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A stroke victim claims she was slapped with an £80 on-the-spot fine for littering after a cigarette fell from her trembling hands.

Brenda Winsland, 77, of East Dam Wood Road, Speke, was left with severe shakes in her fingers after suffering a blood clot in her brain last month.

When the pensioner lit a fag during a family day out in Wigan town centre this week, it quickly fell from her unsteady hands and she was pounced on by a council enforcement officer.

Mrs Winsland told the Sunday ECHO: “It’s made me ill to think this has happened.”

The OAP was handed a fixed penalty notice by the officer ordering her to pay £80 or face being taken to court.

Mrs Winsland continued: “My family took me to Wigan for a nice day out.

“But I needed to sit down because I felt unwell and they took me to a bench in the street. I lit a cigarette but dropped it because my hands were shaking. It wasn’t deliberate, I dropped it because I have had a stroke.”

But the enforcement officer ignored Mrs Winsland’s pleas for sympathy and issued the fine.

Wigan council disputes Mrs Winsland’s version of events, claiming she deliberately dropped the fag butt and stamped on it.

Mrs Winsland said: “I have a very bad shake in both hands and I still have to go to the stroke clinic a lot.

“The trip to Wigan was my first proper day out since the stroke, other than for hospital appointments.

“I’ve been pretty much housebound.

“Getting this fine has left me feeling really unwell.

“I’ve been having nightmares, nothing like this has ever happened to me before.

“It’s not about the money, it’s about the principle.”

Mrs Winsland’s family now plan to write to Wigan council in a bid to get the fine overturned.

Terry Dunn, director of environment at Wigan council, said: “On July 15, one of our officers saw a member of the public deliberately drop a cigarette onto the floor.

“This individual then stamped on the cigarette and walked away without making any attempt to pick it up.

“The officer issued a fixed penalty notice in line with our policy on littering.

“We take a tough stance on littering as this is what the public repeatedly say they want us to do.”

More news today:

Dad speaks of devastation after his dog was attacked in a Merseyside park

Spotted: Samuel L Jackson at The Open Championship in Hoylake

Liverpool gets ready for visit of the Giants this week

Popular Liverpool teacher died on holiday in Mexico

Picture special: Lightning strikes Triad building in Bootle PLUS slo-mo video captures storm over Liverpool

Watch: Incredible footage of a young Steven Gerrard playing for Whiston Juniors

I predict a pay-out! Liverpool psychic Phoebe Kelly vows to refund angry customers