Mum slapped with a £100 littering fine - after receipt dropped out her handbag

Jayne Saywell, 56, was walking through Bromley High Street in south east London last Thursday to cheer herself up after her dad passed away when she was slapped with the fine

A distraught mum has recounted the moment she felt "like a criminal" after being slapped with a £100 littering fine when a receipt accidentally flew out of her handbag.

Jayne Saywell, 56, was trying to lift her spirits in Bromley High Street, south east London, last Thursday following her father's death, when she experienced what she described as "a bit of a wind tunnel" outside TK Maxx, leading to the mishap. The beauty therapist claimed she only caught a fleeting glimpse of the receipt and wasn't sure it was hers, so she didn't stop.

Moments later, an environmental enforcement officer confronted her and issued the fine. She explained: "I saw it out of the corner of my eye and wasn't 100 per cent sure it was mine. I hadn't thought anything of it. I wasn't going to chase after someone else's rubbish and I hadn't realised it was mine. Two minutes later, an environmental enforcement officer was threatening to detain me if I didn't give him my details.

"It was not a nice experience. I was quite harassed and it wasn't pleasant. It wasn't my fault, that's what got me.", I just wanted to get through my day when I was already sad and it just ruined my day completely. I offered to go pick it up, but they wouldn't let me, it is just not reasonable behaviour. It made me feel like a criminal."

The mother of two, hailing from nearby Keston, has since contested the fine, urging the council to review the footage and see that she "obviously" hadn't done it intentionally, reports Bristol Live. She revealed that after sharing her experience on Facebook, several others - particularly women - came forward with similar tales.

Mrs Saywell stated: "I don't ever do anything wrong; I never throw litter on the floor. I felt really wronged by it. I was so angry. It just wasn't right because I didn't throw it on the floor. It was just really unfair. It was really upsetting. It was just a horrible experience. I will pay it begrudgingly, but I just feel that it is really unfair. I was laying awake all night thinking about what I should have said in the moment."

Bromley Council has been contacted for a comment.