Leigh mother's parking fine after emergency hospital stay

Selina Okeke, 33 weeks pregnant, parked on Cardigan Avenue, just outside Southend Hospital, at 2pm on July 22 to admit herself for monitoring after experiencing a long bout of contractions.

The Leigh mother-of-seven paid for a two-hour Southend Council parking ticket expecting a quick check up before being discharged.

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However, as the contractions continued doctors called for a scan which found her twin girl’s heartbeat was fading.

Council parking fine - Selina with now healthy twins Sistine and onyx

“I thought, ‘oh god, she’s died in the womb’ as I was rushed to the theatre,” Ms Okeke, who has just completed a three-year master’s in nursing, said.

Thankfully, the twins were safely delivered by emergency C section – however Ms Okeke lost three litres of blood during the ordeal.

Her husband Kingsley, also a nurse, was on shift and could not be contacted by phone at the time.

Cardigan Avenue where Ms Okeke was fined for parking

On Sunday, July 24 she was discharged but on returning to her car was angered to find two parking fines slapped across her front windshield.

Ms Okeke says she appeal and provided discharge documentation to the council evidencing her hospital stay.

However, the council says it requries further proof and she was told to pay up - £25 for each fine.

“It’s just absolutely disgusting that this is how they treat mothers who have emergencies and nearly lose their babies,” Ms Okeke said.

“I have just qualified as a nurse and worked right through covid not earning money due to students not getting paid and now I have to face this.”

“I don’t get why they have not used discretion. Where is the compassion?”

She added: “Was I supposed to get up and move my car during the middle of a C section? It’s baffling.”

Cllr Steven Wakefield, cabinet member for highways, transport and parking, said: “Firstly, I would like to congratulate the family on the birth of their twins. In relation to the penalty charge notices (PCNs), clearly when issued we would have been unaware of the circumstances.

“These PCNs have not yet been paid, but an appeal was lodged on July 27 for both. These were rejected due to insufficient evidence being provided.

"We have contacted the driver asking them to provide the required evidence and documentation, and we have also extended the discounted costs by a further 14 days to give them sufficient time to provide the evidence.”

Ms Okeke’s twins are well but remain in Southend Hospital’s neo natal ward until they are old enough to be released.