A woman was caught using her dead husband’s disabled parking badge following an operation by council officers.

On a visit to Stanmore Broadway car park, Harrow Borough Council’s fraud investigators found the 50-year-old woman using her late husband’s blue badge to park for free.

The woman was questioned and handed over her badge, which had been issued to her husband, who died in April last year.

She now faces a fine of up to £1,000.

Harrow Council leader Councillor Susan Hall said: “It is shocking to see the lengths some people will go to in order to avoid paying their fair share.

"Using the blue badge of your dead husband pushes the boundaries of what we have seen so far.

“We are getting tougher on this type of activity and if you think you can come to Harrow and play the system, you can think again.

"This sort of behaviour simply isn't fair on those genuine blue badge users, who can be left struggling to park because of the dishonesty of others."