A charity for the disabled wants more to be done to stop the ongoing problem of blue badge fraud.

This comes after eight people suspected of misusing disabled parking badges were caught on Thursday.

The alleged offences involved displaying blue badges which belonged to ‘friends and family’.

Angela Dias, chief executive of the Harrow Association for Disabled People, said: “Blue badge fraud can be a big problem.

“There are times when disabled people can’t do their shopping because all the parking spaces are taken and have to turn around and go home.

“They can’t even get out of the car to make a complaint.”

Ms Dias said the council has been more robust in its response to these offences recently but the problem continues to cause frustrations amongst the disabled.

She added: “I hope fraudsters get caught and I hope they have to pay a massive fine.”

All eight caught received fixed penalty notices of £30, or £55 for parking while displaying the badges in contravention of the scheme.

Badges were voluntarily handed over to Harrow Borough Council enforcement officers who worked in partnership with the police during the one-day crackdown in St John’s and Lyon Road.

The perpetrators will be interviewed by council fraud officers and a decision whether to take legal action against them will be taken afterwards.