Promising Runshaw College athlete Oliver Stringer, 17, was on crutches after knee surgery, but made his way into the Langdale Road campus to pick up work he had missed while in hospital.

But his efforts to keep up with his studies and gain a place at university were met with a £70 parking fine after he parked in a restricted car parking area to lessen the distance he had to walk.

His furious mum Gina Stringer said the system is "ridiculous" and called on Runshaw College bosses and the private parking firm to overturn the punishment.

She said: "He shouldn't have even been in college after having knee surgery to remove cartilage.

"But he's got such a good attitude he didn't want to get left behind. He couldn't park anywhere else because he can't walk."

Mrs Stringer said she agrees with enforcement to stop people "blatantly" parking illegally, but believes there should be some discretion.

But after writing a letter of explanation to Southampton-based firm AS Secure-T, which enforce restrictions on the Leyland campus, she was rebuffed.

Oliver is in his first year of a national diploma in sports development, coaching and fitness.

The issue with parking at Runshaw has spread across Leyland, with the nearby estates getting yellow lines to stop students leaving their cars on the roads.

Then the council put a time limit on Worden Park – to the frustration of thousand of visitors.

Oliver said: "I couldn't park anywhere else because I couldn't walk. More than half the students drive, yet the car park is not for students."

A spokesman for Secure-T said: "If there is a breach of any of those rules, a ticket is issued.

"There is an appeal procedure."

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