The family of a 96-year-old have been left outraged after the council withdrew disabled parking bays from her estate without consultation.

Ellen Billson, of Chatsworth Estate in Chatsworth Road, Clapton, suffers from crippling arthritis and is blind in one eye.

For the last 10 years, the family of the blue badge holder have parked on the estate in two designated disabled parking bays when they visit – but these have now been rented out to neighbours.

Her son Tom Gill, 67, said: “They gave my mum no notice that they were going to rent them out and they did not give her the opportunity to rent one out for herself.

“The bay outlines are still there and if you were a disabled person parking on the estate you would assume you could park there.

“It means that it’s going to be difficult to take her out.

“We can still take her but we have to wheel her through the estate in a wheelchair as she struggles to walk.’’

A spokesman claimed a letter had been sent out in January informing residents about the changes and added that Mr Gill can pull up outside the property to collect his mother before parking on the main road, “as other visitors to the estate do.”