Driver blames UFO for failure to pay parking fine

Southwark Council said motorists' excuses were "quite impressive"

A motorist blamed spotting a UFO for his failure to pay a parking fine, a south London council has revealed.

The driver was so shocked by what he saw, he drove into a bus lane, according to parking appeals made to Southwark Council.

Another motorist declared they were colour blind and thought the yellow line was green.

A spokesman for Southwark Council said the imagination of some motorists was "quite impressive".

UFOs and colour blindness unfortunately do not count as legitimate reasons to overturn a ticket Gill Davies, Southwark Council

Other reasons given to the council over the past two years have included: "It was raining. I thought I could park anywhere if the weather was bad."

Another driver wrote: "I don't know what the yellow lines mean."

And another person told the council: "I was only sleeping in the back of the car.

"The parking attendant could have asked me to move the car instead of giving me a ticket, although he would not have seen me as I had a blanket over my head."

Gill Davies, director of environment and housing at Southwark Council, said: "The imagination of some of these drivers is quite impressive, but UFOs and colour blindness unfortunately do not count as legitimate reasons to overturn a ticket."