A couple who joined an Eastenders star in helping a Parkinson's sufferer off the road have been slapped with a fine.

On November 22 last year Leah Freet and Erx Yaman were walking down Loughton High Street when they spotted an elderly man fallen on the pavement.

Along with two other people - one of whom they realised later was Danniella Westbrook who plays Samantha Mitchell in the soap - they helped the man to the bench outside Nando's.

Miss Freet said: "We saw her helping the man and went over to join in.

"At one point she said something like 'I remember things because I'm an actress'.

"I asked her what she was in and she looked a little embarrassed and said 'Eastenders'."

With everybody introduced, Miss Freet ran to a nearby church to get a blanket for the man before waiting with him until an ambulance arrived.

When her and Mr Yaman walked back to their car on Brooklyn Avenue they discovered a ticket on the vehicle.

Now they are battling to have it overturned.

Miss Freet, who runs the Scarred for Life tattoo parlour, said: "I wrote an appeal to North Essex Parking Partnership explaining the circumstances, but to my great disappointment they have decided that we are still liable for the parking fine, unless we can supply a 'doctor's note/hospital admissions letter', which of course we cannot as we do not know the gentleman.

"I think this is most unfair."

If you can get the couple in contact with the elderly man, please email milo.boyd@newsquest.co.uk

The North Essex Parking Partnership was contacted for comment.