A disabled woman who was panic-stricken over a looming visit from bailiffs for a parking ticket she knew nothing about has had her ticket cancelled, thanks to the Streatham Guardian.

Lynne Malekmian, 52 from Barker Walk, Streatham, was frightened after receiving a letter from bailiffs saying they had been granted a warrant to come to her house anytime of the day or night to take property worth nearly £600 for a three-year-old parking ticket.

The mum-of-two, who has MS, claimed the first she knew about the parking ticket, which Lambeth Council said she received for parking incorrectly in a bay in Acre Lane, Brixton, in 2005, was when she was sent the letter from bailiffs a couple of weeks ago.

She had no recollection of committing the offence, and thought it had happened during a period in 2005 when her car kept being stolen.

But shortly after the Streatham Guardian approached Lambeth Council to get to the bottom of the issue, the ticket and bailiff's warrant were cancelled.

The decision came despite a council spokesman insisting Lynne had been sent three letters about the parking ticket, in December 2005 and early 2006.

"I'm so relieved - I burst into tears when I heard the council had changed its mind," said Lynne. "I was expecting the bailiffs to come round at any time and I was terrified. I'm so grateful to the Streatham Guardian.

"But I'm still cross about it all. If I'd done the parking offence I would put my hands up, but I wasn't even there.

"The council doesn't understand what the effect of something like this does to people like me and how frightening it was."

Barrie Segal, founder of Appeal Now, said it was "a day-to-day problem that was getting worse" for people to suddenly be told bailiffs were coming to their homes to claim property for parking tickets. He said anyone in Lynne's position should contact the court which issued the warrant and obtain a statutory declaration to halt the process.