An elderly volunteer litter picker has been handed a fine for accidentally leaving his walking stick by the roadside.
Alan Davies was “shocked, angry and upset” to be penalised by Walsall Council when he forgot his cane in Aldridge, West Midlands, on September 6.
Mr Davies and his friends had been on their daily litter pick along Longwood Lane and Hayhead Wood.
The grandfather said he drove off, forgetting to pick up his walking stick and a bag with his cushion inside, which he had placed by the roadside.
Mr Davies claims Walsall Council tracked him down after trawling through local CCTV footage.
He said council officers found his address by using his car’s number plate and sent him the fine last week.
The former builder said: “Why would I leave my walking stick there on purpose? I want it back, but I cannot speak to anyone human about the fine.
“I need my walking stick. They have taken the trouble to track me down – and after all I’ve done for the area, they could have given me my walking stick back. They have tried to bankrupt me.”
Mr Davies’s friends and fellow litter pickers have tried in vain to talk to someone at the council about the fine but they keep being told to email their complaint.
John, who did not give his last name, and who picks litter with Mr Davies, said: “They will not listen, or talk to you over [the] phone. They need to prove intent and there is none. He drove off by mistake.”
The letter, from Walsall Council’s community protection department, says: “If payment is not received, proceedings may be taken against you where you may be liable to a fine of up to a maximum of £2,500.”
Included in the letter are two CCTV images – one showing Mr Davies and John walking towards their car, and then another ten minutes later showing the walking stick and cushion on the floor.
John added: “There is a 10-minute gap between the pictures. They obviously could not be bothered to look at the picture of the film which shows him driving off and forgetting the stick and bag with his cushion in it. Surely, they have to prove some kind of intent. Instead it is like trying to talk to a brick wall.”
Every morning before most people have had their breakfast Mr Davies and his friends walk round Aldridge cleaning up rubbish left by others.
The widower said: “Beer cans, takeaway rubbish you name it we pick it up. We even fixed the benches in the park in our own time and with our own money.”
Mr Davies’s neighbour Ann said: “£150 is a lot of money for a pensioner. You cannot speak to the council on the phone, it has to be [by] email. Not everyone has the internet. Hopefully when people realise what Alan is being put through the council will back down.”
A Walsall Council spokesman has since apologised and said the fine has been rescinded.
He said: “We recognise the specific circumstances around this incident and would like to apologise profusely to Mr Davies.
“We can confirm that the fixed penalty notice has been rescinded after a further review of CCTV footage.
“Walsall Council respects and values the work and commitment of all our litter-picking volunteers. They play a key role in our defence against fly-tipping and littering. The location in question, Longwood Lane and Hayhead Wood is a hot spot for fly-tipping and the CCTV camera was put in place after complaints from the local community.
“Fly-tipping and littering is a major problem in Walsall and remains a priority for the council.”
