A MOTORIST who was fined twice in two minutes for unwittingly driving in a controversial bus lane is celebrating after highways bosses said she would get her money back.

Christine Wilson, from Clacton, was among thousands of people caught out by new traffic restrictions in Colchester.

She was stunned after receiving two separate fines for offences committed within seconds of each other.

Christine, 69, was driving a pal to a dance class when she got lost in the town centre.

She drove up North Hill and then from Colchester High Street into Queen Street, unaware both were bus lanes.

Her car was captured by spy cameras a week before Christmas.

A fortnight later she received two separate fines.

Mrs Wilson, of Inglenook, said: “I knew I was in a bus lane, but there was no traffic on the road and my friend said it was all right after a certain time in the evening.

“Then I got a letter and a fine.

“I wondered what it was for because I’d never even parked on a yellow line before in my life.

“Then I opened the next letter and it was the same. I’d been done again just a couple of minutes up the road.”

Mrs Wilson immediately paid both £30 fines before they could be tripled to £90 after 30 days.

She claims she didn’t even see signs warning she was breaking the law.

She said: “They should have made it clearer.

“I’m not local to Colchester and it was the first time I’d been along there in a car.”

County council highways boss Rodney Bass has now cancelled 30,000 penalties dished out to drivers who flouted the new bus lane rules.

£1million worth of fines handed out in just 11 weeks will be handed back after a massive protest.

Mrs Wilson is looking forward to the unexpected windfall.

She said: “I felt they forced me into paying because I didn’t want to incur any more charges.

“I’ll be really chuffed if I get my money back.

“I saw a jacket which was half-price in the sales at Monsoon and now I can afford it.”