A WOMAN who was given a parking ticket while her cat was undergoing emergency surgery has got her money back.

Helen Dunston, 61, of Gilberd Road, Colchester, rushed her cat, Crunchie, to Companion Care Vets, at Colne Retail Park, in Cowdray Avenue, after he was hit by a car.

The ginger cat had to have X-rays and an operation straight away, meaning Ms Dunston stayed in the vets for 20 minutes longer than the two-hour parking limit.

She said: “I overstayed my time because I was worried about my cat.

“I wasn’t there shopping. I was in there because my cat was having an operation.

“I wasn’t thinking about the parking fine.”

Read the full story in today's Gazette.