�A pensioner has been forced to use his own funeral cash to pay his daughter’s huge parking fine, claiming she didn’t receive notification of the infringement.

Now elderly Jack Crichton is putting up a �100 reward for help in tracing the warning letters they claim she never received.

Mr Crichton, 75, paid out more than �1,000 after his daughter Morag’s car was photographed parked illegally outside her Hornchurch home in May last year. The fine had snowballed from just �30.

But he says the first Morag, 25, knew about the fine was when council bailiffs Newlyn towed away her new �13,000 Ford Fiesta from Hillview Avenue in October – six months later.

“They demanded �771 which we couldn’t pay immediately,” said Jack. “Morag has never seen a single ticket or bailiff letter, so she was in shock and crying.”

When Morag – who had recently been made redundant from her admin job – lost the parking appeal, the Epping-based bailiffs began charging �47 a day to impound her car.

‘Distraught’

Jack said: “They said they would auction the car and my daughter was distraught. We have had sleepless nights over this – it was making us both ill – so I decided to use the money I was saving for my funeral.”

The Recorder has seen copies of four letters sent out by the council’s StreetCare team to Morag’s address, but Morag is adamant they didn’t arrive.

Newlyn said the letters were sent to the correct address, but Jack claims the bailiffs have refused to reissue these warnings.

“The postman has said he’s sure he didn’t deliver any parking fines or bailiffs’ warrants,” added Morag.

“No one in their right mind would jeopardise their brand new car for a �30 fine!”

Cllr Barry Tebbutt, cabinet member for environment, said: “We have written to Ms Crichton several times at the exact address the car is registered at, as seen by the Recorder.

“This address is provided by the DVLA. Ms Crichton has also asked us for copies of all of the notices sent to her and we have provided these.”

Mr Crichton has even urged neighbours to see if their letters have been delivered to the wrong address, but to no avail.

“Somebody, somewhere must have those letters. I’m prepared to pay �100 for them.”