A 62-YEAR-OLD woman accused of late-night speeding, stealing fuel and illegal parking is convinced her registration plates have been cloned.

Patricia Fielder, of West Common Road, Bromley, bought her sister's Ford Focus in June and the pair have been hit with a series of fines and summonses ever since.

Last month her sister Janet Gorin, of Broadcroft Road, Petts Wood, received a council demand for payment of a £60 parking fine from June 24 at The Glades shopping centre car park in Bromley.

Then Mrs Fielder received three notifications of offences: one for driving off without paying from a BP garage in Mottingham on July 16; another for speeding in Dartford on July 25 and a third for speeding in Essex at about 1am on July 23.

The mum-of-two was accused of driving at 67mph in a 40mph zone near Leigh-on-Sea and told she faced prosecution.

The car caught on camera was a similar colour and make to hers and had the same registration.

The customer services assistant said: "I received the two letters from the police on the same day and I couldn't speak.

"I am a very law-abiding citizen and I don't go speeding around at 1am. If I'm prosecuted, I'll just die.

"Now we're just waiting to see what else turns up."

Mrs Gorin advertised the car in Auto Trader magazine before selling it to her sister.

The pair believe the car was spotted by someone looking for plates to clone for a stolen Ford Focus.

Medical practice manager Mrs Gorin said: "We want to warn other people this is happening."

The sisters have informed the police, DVLA and the council's parking office of their cloning fears and are hopeful the fines will be scrapped.

A grey Ford Focus with matching numberplates and a smashed windscreen has since been discovered by police abandoned in Bexleyheath.

Visit dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/clone vehicle.htm for DVLA advice on numberplate cloning.