A MAN spent two weeks gathering evidence to prove his innocence after being accused of parking his van in a private car park all day.

Workman Shaun D'Wit was sent a £100 fine after cameras apparently caught him entering the car park at The Range, in Cowdray Avenue, Colchester shortly before 10am and not leaving until 5.38pm.

But Mr D'Wit had in fact spent less than 15 minutes in the store in the morning of March 18 when he went looking for carpet fittings and had arrived briefly later the same day to buy on-offer sanding blocks.

Mr D'Wit, who lives in Elmstead Market, then spent two weeks after being sent the fine in the post "working as a private investigator" in a bid to prove his innocence and escape the £100 punishment.

He believes the car park's cameras are not equipped to clock cars going in and out, leaving every ticket open to a challenge.

The married dad-of-two said: "I can't believe what I've had to do just to clear my name - it's unreal.

"When I got it, I couldn't believe it. I've never spent more than an hour in The Range and I'd remember if I left my van there all day."

During the "investigation" he sought written evidence from Wickes, in Clarendon Way, to prove he had been shopping there during the time his van was meant to be parked less than a mile away at The Range.

He also dug out receipts from other places he had been during that day to add to his case.

The 56-year-old added: "The only reason I've got this done is because I ran around gathering up all the information like a blooming private investigator.

"They would have quite happily taken that money off me - no questions.

"My worry is this 'nastiness', which is what I call it, might have worked on someone else, perhaps a single mum or an older person who doesn't have the internet might have just paid up and never thought about it.

"That's why I want people to know what's happened - to let people know they don't have to just pay without thinking."

A spokesman for Parking Eye, which runs the car park, said: "“Unfortunately, Mr D’Wit was issued a parking charge in error.

"The charge has been cancelled and a letter of confirmation was sent to him."