THE first time a Bromyard woman received a fine for not paying her London congestion charge, she thought it was funny because she had not been to the capital for more than a decade.

But Alison Chedgzoy is not laughing anymore after receiving her fourth fine for dodging the charge, fearing future credit problems because of the mistake.

"This is seriously upsetting Alison," said husband Roger.

"She now dreads the postman coming.

"The implications are grave and far-reaching.

"Apparently it destroys your credit rating."

Mrs Chedgzoy was first fined for being at Whitechapel High Street shortly before 11.30am on Wednesday, February 19 when she was at work at Worcestershire Royal Infirmary.

A second fine arrived in the mail the next day claiming Mrs Chedgzoy's Peugeot 306 had been spotted at Minories and Hammett Street shortly after 3pm on Thursday, February 20.

Two more fines arrived on Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15.

Mrs Chedgzoy, of Linton, in Bromyard, now faces a possible maximum fine of £480 if the fine is not paid within three weeks.

On all but one of the alleged breaches of the charge Mrs Chedgzoy has a receipt from Tesco in Warndon with the time and date printed on it.

The Chedgzoys now believe the 53-year-old medical secretary's number plates have been copied.

"On receipt of the third fine we immediately contacted police," said Mr Chedgzoy.

"Once is a mistake. Twice is going to look a bit funny.

"But now the only conclusion is that somebody has cloned the number plate."

Mr Chedgzoy said he had sent personal e-mails every day since the first fine, but in order to get a copy of the "evidential image" referred to in the fine he had to pay a £10 non refundable charge.

The only telephone number on the fine was an automated number to pay the fine, he said.

A spokeswoman for Transport for London, which operates the congestion charge, said if the Chedgzoys launched an appeal the fine deadline would be stopped.

"She needs to appeal by sending in all the documentation, and then it is a matter for the police," said the spokeswoman.