A council has been accused of "bureaucracy gone mad" for insisting a motorist pays up for parking on double-yellow lines that should no longer exist.

Baker Giovanni Ballone thought he had parked legally in a new resident's bay close to his home near Hove station.

Newly painted double-yellow lines clearly ended before the start of the freshly-marked combined permit and pay-and-display bay in Station Approach.

The old yellow lines, which extended into the bay, were faded and only just visible. Mr Ballone left his car completely within the new bay last October, thinking the old yellow lines no longer applied.

When he returned, he found a £60 ticket had been left on the car by one of Brighton and Hove City Council's parking officers.

Mr Ballone asked us to highlight his plight and city parking bosses advised him to appeal against the ticket. He has just been told that his appeal has been turned down by them.

Mr Ballone said: "It is obvious that the old yellow lines no longer apply because the end of the new lines and the start of the bay are clearly marked.

"I can't believe the council is being so small minded about this. Even after all this time, the old yellow lines are still there and the council has done nothing to remove them."

Hove MP Ivor Caplin has now offered to take up Mr Ballone's case and said: "It seems to me Mr Ballone has been unfairly treated. He has paid for a resident's permit and that is what the new parking regulations are all about. That should have been relevant in his appeal.

"In these exceptional circumstances, if he wants to come in to see me, I will see if there are any further representations I can make on his behalf to the council.

"In the meantime, I would hope the council will act quickly to clear up any confusion by removing the yellow lines in question."

Hove councillor Jenny Barnard-Langston's Goldsmid ward includes Station Approach and Denmark Villas, where Mr Ballone lives.

She said: "It is outrageous behaviour by the council to turn down Mr Ballone's appeal in these circumstances.

"It is bureaucracy gone mad and the council should act immediately to uphold the appeal and to remove the old lines.

"It just shows the council is willing to make a profit out of its parking scheme, whatever the circumstances."

A city council spokeswoman said: "The council has a very fair system of allowing people to informally appeal when they dispute a penalty charge notice. We considered this case carefully but were unable to agree with Mr Ballone.

"Our advice now is for Mr Ballone to either pay the fine or appeal to an independent adjudicator."