A Suffolk resident has warned of an easy mistake after the Ukrainian refugee he hosts was hit with an unexpected parking ticket in Asda car park in Ipswich.

Inhe Kosynska was handed a £70 parking charge after shopping in the Whitehouse Asda, before moving her car to the McDonald's next door for lunch last Friday.

She spent a total of three hours and 45 minutes in both car parks, without realising they are operated by the same company with a three-hour maximum stay period.

Fortunately, the car park operator has cancelled the ticket as a gesture of goodwill.

Ms Kosynska is currently staying with 70-year-old David Burnett, who lives near Eye, along with children Ihor, 14, and Paulina, 8, after entering the UK to flee the war with Russia a year ago.

Mr Burnett said: "Inhe just assumed they were two separate car parks, but a few days later she got this horrible news.

"There's been an epidemic of parking tickets and I feel as though I am uncovering a scandal. There must be many more getting caught out.

"Several of my friends who have been fined say they will never go back to the supermarket where they were fined.

"She works so hard and has to pick up her children from school. She is only just making it here, and then on her day off she takes her kids for a treat and then gets something like this."

Mr Burnett added he became a host in order to help: "I've got spare rooms and I wanted to do something.

"I am 70 years old, I am not going to grab a rifle and go to war, but I was going to do what I could."

A spokesperson for Parkingeye, which runs the car park, said: “The car park at Asda Ipswich features prominent and highly-visible signs throughout providing information on how to use the car park responsibly.  

“Motorists are advised that the car park is for customers only and there is a 3-hour maximum stay period.

"The rules have been put in place to prevent long-term parking abuse and also apply to customers using the McDonald’s restaurant located within the car park. 

“The motorist correctly received a Parking Charge for remaining in the car park for 3 hours and 45 minutes.  

“Parkingeye operates a British Parking Association audited appeals process, which motorists can use to appeal their Parking Charge. If anyone has mitigating circumstances, we would encourage them to highlight this by appealing.

“Following an appeal, we have cancelled the charge as a gesture of goodwill."