An eight-month battle over a parking ticket ended with a council performing a u-turn.

Dan Parkes, a Brighton-based businessman forced the city council to back down over a ticket issued to him for parking outside one of its own buildings.

He contacted The Argus after we revealed Brighton motorists paid out £16 million in parking charges and fines last year.

The 34-year-old, who runs his own film production company, said he was loading lighting equipment into his van at New England House on January 5 when he was given the ticket.

He said: “The loading bay was overflowing with vehicles so we parked in a safe and considerate place as close to the ramp as possible, as we were loading heavy lights via a trolley. “Within minutes a warden started writing a ticket. We asked what it was all about and the warden pointed across to the road and said there were white zig-zag lines for a nearby pedestrian crossing. “ Mr Parkes appealed the notice three times and repeatedly asked the council to point out which regulation forbids parking off-road beside a pedestrian crossing. The appeals were repeatedly turned down until Mr Parkes took the decision to an adjudicator.

Four days before the adjudicator was due to come to a decision the council wrote to Mr Parkes pleading “no contest” and scrapping the ticket.

Brighton and Hove City Council insist the ticket was correctly issued but because of lack of resources there was not enough time to prepare the case.

A spokesman added: “Parking in this location would have caused great inconvenience to pedestrians and could have been dangerous. Parking on the pavement also cracks paving stones which can lead to trips and falls on footpaths.”