Hanging baskets adorning a town centre cost motorist Stuart Hunt a £30 parking ticket.

He parked his Nissan Almera car in lower Broadway, Didcot, and returned to fined a fixed penalty notice attached to his windscreen.

Mr Hunt, 25, a car mechanic, of Bradstocks Way, Sutton Courtenay, did not realise there were any parking restrictions - because signs attached to lamp posts were hidden by hanging flower baskets. Parking is limited to 30 minutes.

Stuart Hunt pushes aside the hanging basket which was hiding a parking restriction sign Today, the 25-year-old car mechanic was celebrating after police accepted the signs were hidden and cancelled the ticket.

Parking signs are hidden behind hanging baskets on five lamp posts in the street - and the baskets will now be trimmed or moved.

Mr Hunt said: "How was I expected to know? There was not even any indication of parking restrictions on the road.

"If the parking notices had been visible, I would not have parked there."

Mr Hunt said he could not afford a day off work to attend court and plead not guilty to the offence - and risk a higher fine.

He decided to pay the fine but has now been told that his £30 will be refunded.

He was the second motorist that day to fall foul of the hidden signs - the other driver can also expect a refund.

Bill Atkinson, chairman of Didcot town council environmental committee, said the council wanted to apologise to Mr Hunt.

Cllr Atkinson said: "The recent sunshine and rain have combined to produce an abundance of flowers in the baskets which have now to be removed, unless the baskets can be raised above the parking signs."