Viewers saw Liza Tarbuck behind the wheel while filming ‘World’s Most Dangerous Roads’ with Sue Perkins along the Ho Chi Minh trail

IT is the kind of treatment which will make drivers all over London green with envy: you break a traffic rule – but see the penalty scratched without even making a complaint.

So no wonder actor and broadcaster Liza Tarbuck wanted to say a very special thank you on airways to the official who ripped up a £65 ticket.

On Saturday evening, she dedicated her weekly BBC Radio 2 show to Michelle Ahmed, a parking officer based at the council’s offices in Pancras Square, King’s Cross and celebrated her for not being a Town Hall “jobsworth”.

The former Big Breakfast host told listeners how she had received an unexpected letter from Ms Ahmed which explained that a fine issued legitimately had been cancelled.

Ms Tarbuck said she had driven the wrong way to escape a temporary diversion in Camden Town – in place due to building works – and had been caught on CCTV.

She said: “I broke the law. I keep saying how London is broken, with all these buildings going up and then we have to deal – with no warning – that the roads are up or blocked because they are getting a crane going in and then they get an 11-year-old to do some traffic light system.”

As she drove home after recording a BBC gardening podcast she found her route blocked and signs telling her to head in a different direction to her destination.

Liza Tarbuck has a regular Saturday evening show on BBC Radio 2 

She said: “It was chaos – so I thought I am not getting drawn into this drama. It was just so tiresome. If you get into the one-way system there, you are up to your neck. I thought – I don’t care, I am going there, I’m not getting into all that maroon skat, so I did what the arrows told me not to do. I did it because I needed to get out of the system. They should have warned me.”

Her manoeuvres were clocked by a camera and she was steeling herself for a large fine to arrive. Instead, she got a pleasant surprise.

Ms Tarbuck added: “Today I got a letter about my Penalty Charge Notice…it said ‘…the above mentioned contravention…was not your fault and I have decided to cancel this penalty charge. £65 will be returned to your bank in the next few days.’

“This was from Parking Operations Process Officer Michelle Ahmed. I am dedicating this show to her. I did not complain and I am good at moaning about things like that, if it’s not fair, and this wasn’t, but I wasn’t going to get embroiled in it. Instead, I made a stand and been rewarded for it.”

Ms Tarbuck said the letter from “the mighty Michelle Ahmed” showed that councils could perform well if they allowed their staff to use common sense. She said: “There must have been an issue that day, so they have said let’s look at it and they did there job…. Let’s hear it for Michelle Ahmed of Camden Council. Thank you. Take a bow.”

But not everyone wants to share this feel good story.

The Town Hall has remained tight lipped over the DJ’s praise, refusing to comment or discuss the refund, or how many others could benefit.