A pensioner has won his battle with Brent Council after his car was wrongfully towed away from a lay-by despite it showing a relevant permit.

Adrian Ambro?, 71, of Wembley Hill Road, Wembley, was horrified to find his car, which displayed a resident’s event day parking permit, had vanished from a lay-by in Fryent Way, Wembley, on May 29 while England played Ireland.

He said: “I thought my car had been stolen first of all.

“This forced me to walk home to Wembley after a two hours walk with my dogs.

“They (the council) said I was on a yellow line and obstructing and blocking the road for the emergency services but I was in the lay-by.”

Mr Ambroz appealed to the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service where an adjudicator took up the case.

Despite having six weeks to prepare its case, Brent Council failed to meet its deadline for presenting its 55-page document in response to the appeal.

Mr Ambroz said: “We should have had a minimum of three days to study their documents before the hearing.

“I received mine at lunchtime, the day before the hearing.”

The tribunal ruled in Mr Ambroz’ favour and Brent Council reimbursed him the £255 tow away fine last month.

Mr Ambroz said: “The adjudicator told them (Brent Council) to repay my £255 tow away fine after they refused to answer her questions about event day parking but admitted sending in the papers late.

“I maintain, and the adjudicator agrees with me, that residents with permits should be allowed to park in these lay-bys on event days as there are no restrictions on a normal day.

“I am not going to park there anymore, because of the aggravation, but I feel I am entitled to park there, but I could get towed away.

Mr Ambroz intends to write to Cllr Muhammed Butt, Brent Council leader, on his fight for justice with the authority, added: “I am really annoyed, it is a ludicrous situation.”

Brent Council failed to respond to the Times.