Birmingham Driver Stays In Car For Nine Hours After Warden Stand-Off

24 December 2014, 10:48 | Updated: 24 December 2014, 10:53

A driver in Birmingham City Centre refused to leave his car after traffic wardens tried to tow the vehicle away.

Matthew Sanders followed through with his pledge to stay in his car "all day", following a dispute with traffic wardens on Bennetts Hill, near New Street.

After picking up a fine for parking in a disabled pay illegally, the 34 year old described the attempt to tow his Vauxhall Tigra onto a lorry as an "abuse of authority". 

Sanders said that the act was against his human rights and suggested that he would be willing to sit on Bennetts Hill until Boxing Day, unless his car was returned.

The resident of Macclesfield, Cheshire was angry that his connection with his family was cut off ahead of Christmas.

Officers were also called to the scene by West Midlands Police as a preventative measure. 

Just before 6pm, they agreed a deal with him to release the vehicle, but Sanders will still have to pay the original fine.

Meanwhile, a council spokesman said that he had "wasted the time of officers and contractors'' on the busiest shopping day of the year.