Parking ticket for Moscow State Circus (From Daily Echo)

Parking warden gives ticket to Moscow State Circus in Southampton

7:32am Thursday 3rd May 2012 in Entertainments By Patrick Knox , Senior Reporter

IT’S enough to reduce a clown to tears.

When the world famous Moscow State Circus pitched up at Southampton’s Mayflower Park, the last thing they expected was to get a parking ticket.

A warden issued a ticket after claimed one of the Russian circus’ trailers was “not parked correctly in the markings of the bay”.

The circus’ UK manager Paul Archer said: “What a nice welcome for the Moscow State Circus to Southampton – it is just unbelievable.”

He added that the trailer had only been left in the car park during unloading so it would not plough up the grass.

After being contacted by the Daily Echo the city council, which is charging the circus several thousand pounds to use Mayflower Park, has agreed to drop the parking ticket.

A city council spokesman said: “Our enforcement officers have to walk a tightrope between common sense and enforcement of the law. In this case the ticket was issued correctly because of obstruction issues but having discussed it with the circus we recognise they tried to avoid damage to the park and on that basis we have decided to revoke the ticket.”

From today until the bank holiday the world’s most renowned circus’ fifth visit since 1997 will be dazzling with their amazing acrobatic feats.