44 SECONDS TO GET A PARKING TICKET; Workman fined as he dashed into house to get resident's permit: pounds 70 FINE FOR HANDYMAN.

Byline: DAVID BARTLETT 

A PARKING warden handed out a pounds 70 ticket - after a motorist was found to have "broken" parking rules for just 44 seconds. The handy man was calling at the city centre home of Liverpool's Hungarian Consul Dr Andrew Zsigmond.

Unable to find a space he parked in Pilgrim Street before going toDr Zsigmond's home in nearby Rodney Street to pick up a visitor pass. When he returned he found the ticket which stated his car was illegally parked from 10:32:54amto 10:33:38am - a grand total of 44 seconds. Dr Zsigmond, who was earlier this month made an honorary Scouser, said it took the handy man no more than two minutes to get back to his car. And he branded the council's parking enforcement both "aggressive and hounding".

Today a council spokesman said motorists were now given a "five minute" period of grace in residential areas. Dr Zsigmond, who is semi-retired, told how he called out a handy man to fix a cabinet. He added: "He had to park in Pilgrim Street and it took him about two minutes to get back to his car. "I sent a letter to plead on his behalf on consular note paper.But they refused my appeal. I paid the penalty for him."

But Dr Zsigmond said he still loved Liverpool adding: "I am very honoured to be being made an honorary Scouser." A council spokesman said prior to April the council operated a policy where it penalised "instant contraventions" because residents wanted parking to be enforced "robustly". A spokesman said "Having said that, because of concerns raised over a situation like thiswe nowwaiting at least five minutes."

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FURIOUS: Liverpool's Hungarian Consul Dr Andrew Zsigmond