TWO friends were staggered to receive four 'ridiculous' £60 fines between them after visiting Blackpole McDonald's twice in one night.

Nick Ryland and his friend Alex Vaughan went to  Blackpole Retail Park to buy and eat food from McDonald's and returned again in the early hours of the following day to buy a drink. 

However, they did not realise the two visits at 10.51pm and 12.01am in two separate cars meant they both fell foul of new restrictions put in place.

People can only access the retail park for 30 minutes between 9pm and 6am in an attempt to curb anti-social behaviour.

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Mr Ryland said the pair had to wait at least 20 minutes to receive both orders spending 51 minutes at the retail park in the first instance on Saturday, September 16 and 31 minutes in the second.

If the £60 fines are not paid in time they can increase to £100.

The 39-year-old said: "It makes me wonder how many innocent people have got fined.

"I am disappointed that someone has the God-given right to fine us nearly £200 each to have food.

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"The meal cost no more than £20.

"If we were there acting up, then fair enough, we deserve the fine."

Earlier this week, eight parking fines were dished out to members of a car meet group who despite them also eating at McDonald's in Blackpole Retail Park.

Mr Vaughan added: "It is a bad advertisement for Worcester.

"I am from Redditch and if you have people visiting then they would not know anything about it.

"You can spend 20 minutes just going through the drive-thru.

"I travel a lot with work and every McDonalds I go to does not have parking restrictions or at least have a maximum two hours stay.

"The fact it is 30 minutes is ridiculous."

A spokesperson from Legal and General Investment Management said restrictions were placed at the car park due to complaints from people living nearby.

They said: "Fines are received for staying in the car park for more than the 30-minute grace period between the hours of 9pm to 6am.

"These restrictions were implemented following complaints from local residents about noise and disruption during these hours."

McDonald's said UKPC operates the car park, and they deal with the fines.

Worcester News has contacted UK Parking Control Limited (UKPC) and are awaiting a response.