Toddler James Reilly has only just learned to walk but he has already landed himself in hot water with his local council - for failing to pay a parking fine.

The two-year-old received a �60 parking ticket from Camden Borough Council at the beginning of January for illegally parking a white Lada.

But his mother Amanda Reilly said that despite the mistake being pointed out to the north west London council, the fine was not dropped.

Now the 22-year-old, who says she does not know who owned the car, is threatening to let her son be taken to court to prove the mistake.

Written apology

She said: "If they want to take a two-year-old to court then they can, because then the whole world will laugh at them.

"It is ridiculous."

Miss Reilly now wants a written apology from the council, as well as having the fine dropped.

The saga began on 8 January when a notice was sent to the Reilly's home in Camden accusing James of parking the Lada without a permit.

Miss Reilly said she phoned the council to explain the mistake but was told that she would have to bring proof of James' age to the town hall.

She says this is despite the fact that both she and her son are already registered, with their ages given, at their address.

Miss Reilly said: "I was really shocked when it happened and I'm quite angry now."

"I don't have a car and I'm too busy with James to take him down to the town hall to try and sort this out.

"It's their mistake."

'Wrong information'

A spokeswoman for the council said it has already sent out a letter of apology to Miss Reilly assuring her that the matter has been dropped.

She added that the Lada had been traced to its last registered owner after it was spotted by a warden.

She said: "Unfortunately, and for reasons unknown to us at this time, Camden was given the wrong information by the registered owner of the vehicle, which resulted in a penalty charge notice being sent to an innocent party.

"Camden will now pursue the registered owner of the vehicle, who will be held responsible for the penalty charge notice until he can provide proof of sale of the vehicle to another party."