AN Ely pub landlord successfully fought off a parking ticket this week, because he was unloading paper skeletons and pumpkins when a fixed penalty was slapped on his car. Vince Bartlett, who owns the Town House in Market Street, had parked in a loading ba

AN Ely pub landlord successfully fought off a parking ticket this week, because he was unloading paper skeletons and pumpkins when a fixed penalty was slapped on his car.

Vince Bartlett, who owns the Town House in Market Street, had parked in a loading bay outside his pub while he carried decorations for a Hallowe'en celebration inside, he explained to city magistrates this week.

"I was unloading, I had every right to be there," he said. "My children had made five cardboard cut out skeletons and two pumpkins. They were quite cumbersome."

The PCSO who stuck the ticket on the landlord's people carrier had previously told him: "I will see you in court if you want to dispute it." Bartlett, 48, of Prickwillow Road, Ely, denied illegal parking.

PCSO Emma Melton said a "massive tail back" built up in Market Street on Thursday October 30, when Mr Bartlett parked in the loading bay, and the dray lorry bringing beer to his pub was forced to park on the road.

"There was no loading or unloading taking place," she said in evidence. "I started issuing a ticket when a pub employee stuck his head out of the window and said "you can't do that, it's the owners' car."

After the ticket was issued, the landlord approached the PCSO, and she explained that no loading or unloading had been observed.

In the witness box, Bartlett said he had taken some of the skeletons and pumpkins down to the cellar, while others were taken to a first floor office.

"I was up and down three flights of stairs," he said. "I told the PCSO I had just finished unloading. I was in a loading bay, and I had been unloading.