A TOWN centre sandwich bar owner is celebrating after winning his legal fight against Bolton Council over parking tickets he received while parked outside his shop to load and unload.

Malcolm Pickering, who owns the Four Seasons sandwich bar on Bridge Street, was livid after he received two parking tickets in two months during times when the town centre was quiet.

The 56-year-old was given his first ticket when he parked at the side of the shop on Lornes Street, on a Sunday in November last year at about 11am.

And he got his second ticket when he parked at the front of the shop on Bridge Street at 9.30pm after he arrived back from the Horwich British Legion catering for 85 pensioners.

But Mr Pickering is now delighted after he received a letter from his solicitor which said he had won his legal battle with the council to have both £60 parking ticket fines quashed.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted to have won this case, it's been a long drawn out process. We've had letters of support from a lot of people in the town centre who have suffered the same kind of problem.

"We've been doing nothing wrong, we're just trying to run a business. There were no signs in the street which told me that I couldn't park and unload my car. If there was any problem, the traffic warden could've come into the shop and told us we couldn't park there."

The parking wardens are operated by private company APCOA on behalf of Bolton Council. No one was available for comment at Bolton Council.

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A TOWN centre sandwich bar owner is celebrating after winning his legal fight against Bolton Council over parking tickets he received while parked outside his shop to load and unload.

Malcolm Pickering, who owns the Four Seasons sandwich bar on Bridge Street, was livid after he received two parking tickets in two months during times when the town centre was quiet.

The 56-year-old was given his first ticket when he parked at the side of the shop on Lornes Street, on a Sunday in November last year at about 11am.

And he got his second ticket when he parked at the front of the shop on Bridge Street at 9.30pm after he arrived back from the Horwich British Legion catering for 85 pensioners.

Mr Pickering's appeal against the tickets went to the National Parking Adjudication Service.

And now he has received a letter from his solicitor saying he has won his battle with the council to have both £60 parking fines quashed.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted to have won this case, it's been a long drawn out process. We've had letters of support from a lot of people in the town centre who have suffered the same kind of problem. We've been doing nothing wrong, we're just trying to run a business. There were no signs in the street which told me that I couldn't park and unload my car. If there was any problem, the traffic warden could have come into the shop and told us we couldn't park there."

The parking wardens are operated by private company APCOA on behalf of Bolton Council.

A council spokesman said: "We are waiting to see a full written report of the decision before making further comment."

WINNER: Malcolm Pickering after winning his case to have two parking tickets quashed