AN 89-year-old grandmother says she is being “harassed” by a council which has falsely accused her of driving in a bus lane.

Law abiding Doris Fadden received two penalty charge notices from Essex County Council after a black Ford was seen caught on camera driving in the bus lane in North Station Road, Colchester.

But Doris, who lives more than 300 miles away in Northumberland and drives a red Citroen, has never been to Colchester in her life.

Doris, who has been driving for 60 years and has never had any convictions, said: “I’m not even sure where Colchester is.

“I rarely use my car these days, only to visit my daughter who is four miles away.

“I do feel for this to happen twice in the space of a few months is bordering on personal harassment.

“The first penalty charge notice was in March, the second one was May 18.”

The first notice which was for £30 said her car was in a bus lane in Colchester although Doris said she could not remember which one.

Doris added: “A photograph was attached, but the car was a black Ford with a similar number plate.

“I queried this and it was admitted a mistake had been made.

“I subsequently received three letters stating, on this occasion, the penalty charge notice had been cancelled.

“Naturally I assumed this would be the last I would hear from Essex County Council, but no, last week I received another notice ordering me to pay £30.

“It was the same Ford car but a different date and different bus lane in Colchester.”

Doris used to work as a researcher for a pharmaceutical company and would travel all over the world.

She is expecting an apology from the council, saying staff “should have gone to Specsavers”.

A spokesperson for Essex Highways said the problem had arisen because a C was mistaken for a G on the car’s number plate.

He said: “We have written again to unreservedly apologise to Mrs Fadden.

“We have taken measures to ensure this mistake does not happen again.

“We were misled by the photo, which shows the number plate’s C looking like a G because of the position of the screw attaching it.

“We will now issue the penalty notice to the driver of the correct vehicle.

“It is highly regrettable and unfortunate this mistake was made, but everyone can be reassured there is an appeal process.”