Stirling Council said the upside down ticket was not valid

Stirling Council said that although the £3.50 ticket was displayed, wardens could not read it.

They claim Marie McGrath was fined because she broke the car park conditions.

Ms McGrath, of Tullibody near Stirling, was fined in January after parking at the temporary railway station car park at Forthside.

She said: "I found the fine on my windscreen and noticed the ticket was upside down.

"I thought it was clear I had made an attempt to display a ticket but when I contacted the council with evidence about it they ignored it and then ended my appeal process.

"I think the council could show a bit of common sense. I've got the ticket to prove I had bought one. It's not like I was intending to defraud them or looking to deliberately park illegally."

A Stirling Council spokeswoman said: "The conditions of use of our car parks, clearly displayed at each car park entrance, indicate that a valid ticket must be displayed within the vehicle.

"In this case a ticket was displayed but it was not possible for the car park attendants to determine whether or not it was valid so an excess charge notice was correctly served.

"It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to comply with the conditions of use."