Litter wardens have sparked fury after they slapped a granny with a £100 fine for dropping a piece of tissue.
The privately hired wardens handed Margaret Newton, 82, the penalty in Windsor, Berkshire despite her saying it was an accident.
Critics have dubbed them litter "Stasi" and accused the snoopers of being rude and following residents, according to reports.
The environmental officers also handed a fine to taxi driver Rana Arshad, 39, for supposedly dropping a cigarette butt.
But he claimed he smoked a different brand with a different coloured filter tip, the Mail on Sunday reported.
He said: "He threw the ticket on the ground and said I had to pay or I'd go to court and have to pay £2,500."
Mrs Newton was shopping last month when she received the penalty and said the tissue accidentally fell from her handbag.
Her grandson Mark told the Manchester Evening News : "You couldn't even see the supposed litter because it was that small.
"I said to them 'she is 82 and even if she had seen it, she probably wouldn't be able to bend down to pick it up'.
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"I offered to pick up the rubbish for them and they just replied saying 'rules are rules'."
The local council later rescinded the fine.
MEN also claimed to have spotted one of the wardens throwing a cigarette butt on the ground during a break.
Private security firms have been hired by local authorities to issue fines for littering and dog fouling.
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Wardens from District Enforcement started the patrols in October and have dished out 989 fines.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has said it is not paying the firm to patrol the streets.
Instead, the company takes all of the revenue raised in the town by the fines and said its officers are paid an hourly rate.
A company spokesman told the Mail on Sunday: "District Enforcement officers wear body cameras and record all interactions.
"All complaints are fully investigated and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead management have full access to footage."
A spokesman for the council said: "The council takes seriously any complaint we receive, and each one is thoroughly investigated."
The Daily Star has contacted District Enforcement and the council for further comment.
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