A family hit with a parking fine of £100 after staying for an extra 26 minutes have labelled the charge a swindle.

Lorna Buckwell, 58, from Wytham Close, Eynsham, received the three-figure penalty after she went over her ticket time in Abbey Place car park, opposite Oxford's Ice Rink on Monday afternoon.

Mrs Buckwell parked her car in the 120-space car park and paid £2 for a one-hour ticket at about 3pm.

But her son Neil was unexpectedly delayed at a job agency after he was asked to fill in forms. He thought he would just be handing in his CV.

When the pair returned to the red Suzuki Alto they discovered the parking ticket on the windscreen.

Mrs Buckwell said: "I was horrified. I know that we had overstayed, but I did not picture it would be £100.

"I have never had a fine before. I don't speed, I don't drink and drive, and I don't use my mobile when I am driving.

"I wouldn't even take a library book back late. You don't expect to get away scot free if you do something wrong, but I just think £100 is too steep."

The catering assistant at The Dragon School in Summertown, Oxford, added: "I don't earn much more than that a week."

Mrs Buckwell paid £50 for the fine, which was halved because she settled it within 14 days.

She said she was worried other people might not see the small print on the ticket, which informs them they can save money by paying quickly.

Her husband David, 59, said: "It's a swindle. I don't mind paying a bit but £100 is taking the Michael."

The fine came months after enforcement officers manning city council car parks were told to "get motivated and tough" and asked to issue thousands more fines.

City council bosses believed scores of drivers were getting away with flouting regulations at its car parks in the Westgate Centre, Worcester Street, Abbey Place, Gloucester Green, Oxpens, St Clement's Street, Oxford Railway Station and South Parks Road.

Prices for parking were also upped in Westgate, Oxpens, Worcester Street and Abbey Place by 50p for three hours on weekdays on January 1. Councillors increased the fees as a means of raising up to £100,000 to deal with a £5.2m budget deficit for 2008/09.

A council spokesman said Mrs Buckwell's situation could have been avoided if she had used a scheme which allowed drivers to pay parking charges using their mobile phones, so they did not have to rush back to the car park to renew their ticket.

She said parking fines were £100 in all of its car parks, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days, and added the council raised about £400,000 per year from parking fines.