A caring shopper was left out of pocket after she went to the rescue of a pensioner who had collapsed.

Jean Casey, of Conisborough Place, Whitefield, gave first aid to the elderly woman following the incident in the Mill Gate shopping centre.

She called an ambulance and put the woman, who was aged in her 70s, in the recovery position and kept talking to her.

A first aider from the shopping centre also assisted.

Ms Casey said she initially thought the woman had died, but it turned out she was breathing, and was taken away in an ambulance.

She was shook up by the incident, and after going to pay for her parking ticket, she dropped a 10p piece and forgot to take her parking ticket from the machine.

When Ms Casey and her sister Carol Angus approached parking staff including a car park attendant who had acted a a first aider at the scene, she said as the attendant had witnessed what had happened, she expected some leniency, but was told she must pay the £10 lost ticket fee, in addition to her £1.90 parking charge.

Ms Casey said: “I was angry but it wasn’t about the money. It is the principle — they could have waived it.

“I wasn’t trying to get away with anything.

“I am utterly dismayed that my act of kindness did not allow for some kindness from the centre and that my feelings did not matter.”

Ms Casey, aged 62 who is retired, is a trained first aider. She had worked at Salford City Council’s social services, with people with learning disabilities.

She added: “When we got to the car park exit level, I couldn't find the ticket. We looked everywhere in the car and our bags, and then I realised that in the confusion I hadn't taken it out of the machine.

“I spoke to the car park attendant who was also the first aider, who knew we had been with the lady.

“The person I spoke to in the manager’s office was quite rude and also informed me that they do have tickets in the office, but he wasn't prepared to give me one claiming that the centre would have to pay to replace my lost ticket.

“He knew we were genuine as he told us that he had seen the incident with the lady on CCTV.

“I do think under the circumstances, that some discretion could have been used to relax the policy on that occasion.”

Graham Bentley, building services manager at Mill Gate, said: “We are sorry to hear of Ms Casey’s experience.

“We very much appreciate her first aid assistance and would be happy to investigate the matter further regarding her parking fee.

“Had centre management been made fully aware of Ms Casey’s dissatisfaction, we would have been able to take action on the matter immediately.

“We are looking forward to hearing from Ms Casey to resolve the situation.”