The council is embroiled in a car parking dispute at a retail park in the East Midlands, more than 180 miles away from Bracknell.

Customers at the Valentine South retail park in Lincoln, which is owned by Bracknell Forest Council (BFC), have been slapped with parking fines of up to £100 after walking off the site to visit other nearby shops.

And reports from the East Midlands news site LincolnshireLive revealed BFC has instructed UKCPS, the company which runs the car park and employs car-parking staff who distribute the fines, to stop punishing its customers.

According to the site, motorists were fined after they were watched leaving Valentine South retail park to shop at Valentine retail park, which is next to Valentine South and is owned by a different organisation.

One disgruntled shopper said a ticket she had been issued was given to her as she was “seen leaving the site”, LincolnshireLive claimed.

The council has said refunds for the tickets must, however, be negotiated with UKCPS.

The News contacted the council for comment.

Steven Caplan, assistant director: property said: "After being alerted to this issue, we have taken immediate action to address the situation.

“We have spoken directly to local managing agents Banks, Long & Co. who oversee the car park and the issue should now have been resolved."