THE step-sister of a young father killed by a speeding driver attended a court hearing into the tragedy -- and was booked by parking wardens as the case overran.

Kelly Jones, aged 25, was distraught to discover she had been fined for not returning to her car before the ticket had expired.

Initially, despite hearing her plea for leniency, parking chiefs insisted the fine must stand -- until they had a change of heart three months later.

Mrs Jones told officials her mind at the time was more focused on her brother's death and the subsequent court case.

She said the parking fine row has made coming to terms with his death even more difficult.

She said: "Every time I phoned to have the parking fine overturned, I had to mention my step-brother and it brought all the memories of his death flooding back."

Christopher Young was killed after a 22-year-old speeding driver showing off to his girlfriend on her 21st birthday lost control of his high-powered Vauxhall Omega.

The driver, David Speed, aged 22, of Thetford Road, Hindley, ploughed into Mr Young's Astra after negotiating a bend on Atherton Road, Hindley.

Mr Young, aged 28, of Brunswick Avenue, Horwich, died in hospital after suffering extensive head and chest injuries.

Speed admitted causing death by dangerous driving at Bolton Crown Court on May 16 and was jailed for two years. He was also banned from driving for three years.

Nursery nurse Mrs Jones, of Heaton Street, Hindley, attended the court case which was delayed, and overran her parking ticket time by 25 minutes. She returned to her red eg Fiat Punto to find a ticket on the windscreen.

It was parked on the Deane Road pay-and-display car park, a five-minute walk from Bolton Crown Court.

She said: "I kept being told that I should have known court cases can often go on for longer than at first expected, but I never go to court. I wouldn't have a clue that such a thing would be likely."

A spokeswoman for Bolton Council said the council had investigated the circumstances of Mrs Jones's complaint.

She said: "It's clear that the penalty was issued correctly and that the attendant would not have known that she was in court.

"But we do not wish to prolong her distress and for this reason, on this exceptional occasion, we have decided to cancel her parking fine.

"This instance underlines the clear message that people should select their parking options carefully."

The spokeswoman added: "Delays can often occur unexpectedly so motorists should plan ahead and buy an adequate amount of parking time."

COURT DAY UPSET: Kelly Jones said the shock of the parking ticket added to the trauma of attending the court case where a speeding driver was jailed over the death of her step-brother, Christopher Young (inset)