A nurse was fined £100 for littering after she fed ducks with a slice of bread.
Susan Watson, 68, said she was “shocked and embarrassed” by the incident.
Ms Watson, a dementia care nurse, had broken up a piece of bread and tossed it to the ducks by the River Medway, Tonbridge, Kent.
She was instantly reprimanded by an officer from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) and given a £100 fine for littering.
Ms Watson told KentOnline:
“I was so shocked.
“I remember someone started to run after me, shouting ‘hello’.
“He told me I was on camera and that I had committed an environmental infringement.
“There were no crumbs on the pathway and the bread went straight into the water.
“I asked if he could give me a warning, but he refused.
“He went on to say that what I did could be seen as fly-tipping, which is a much bigger offence.
“It was one slice of bread.
“I don’t always feed the ducks, but that one day I had a slice of crust left and thought it would be nice to.
“Lots of other people do it, including children.
“I suggested to the officer that they should put up some signs.
“He said that it’s all on the council’s website.
“I rang the council the same day and the woman on the phone asked if I was joking.
“They also told me they would ring me back, but they never have.”
TMBC works with a private enforcement company to stop littering.
Those caught face a fixed penalty of up to £150, or £100 if paid within 10 days.
Ms Watson paid the £100.
“For me to earn £100 is the equivalent of six hours on a night shift.
“I wouldn’t have kicked off as much if it was £30, or if he gave me a warning.
“I’m so embarrassed – I’ve never paid a fine in my life before.
“I’ve had to take the money out of my pension fund to pay for it.
“It’s madness.
“Everyone I have told thinks I’m making it up.”
The council has now refunded the fine to Ms Watson.
A TMBC spokesman:
“We got this one wrong.
The enforcement officer from NES considered that dropping what he felt was a large amount of bread into the river justified a penalty.
“However, before this was even brought to our attention the company had reviewed the case and come to the decision that it was not warranted.
“The penalty has already been refunded and we’d like to apologise to Ms Watson for the error.”
