A MISCHIEVOUS prank backfired when a warning was issued about a fake parking ticket scam.

Dorset County Council (DCC) issued a warning about the fake tickets on Tuesday morning, when a spokesman said it ‘could be a scam or it could be a vigilante trying to make a point.’

The warning has been shared hundreds of times on social media.

But Bridport resident Lee Sugden has since contacted the Dorset Echo's sister paper, The Bridport News to admit he placed the parking ticket on a friend’s campervan as a joke.

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He told us the reason for this was because campervan parking can be ‘quite controversial’ and often gets complaints, so when he saw his friend’s campervan parked on South Street on Monday night he took the opportunity to play a prank.

Lee said: “The gentleman and lady in question are friends of mine and they have bought a big campervan.

“I saw their campervan and thought, ‘I’m going to do it’, and put a joke parking ticket on, but I believe they didn’t see on the back it was a joke and called the council about it. It clearly said on the back of the ticket it was a prank.

“There is nothing untoward, it was just a prank that went wrong. Because of the power of social media, it has gone viral. It’s exploded – it’s just mayhem. It’s been shared so much.

“I felt I had to come clean because I don’t want any older, vulnerable people worrying somebody could be scamming them. I am ashamed of what I have caused and just wanted to make that clear.”

Asked whether his friend’s saw the funny side, Lee said: “I have offered them compensation for this by buying them a couple of pints. They did see the funny side.”

Mystery still surrounds the parking tickets as DCC has confirmed there were two reported in Bridport - one on South Street and one at St Michael’s Trading Estate.

While the incident on South Street was a prank, drivers should still be wary of scams.

If you receive a ticket and are ever unsure if it’s genuine, contact the county council's on-street parking services team on 01305 228110.