A BEWDLEY woman has won an appeal against the DVLA because it failed to turn up in court.

Ashleigh Allsop, of Waterloo Road, Bewdley, was found guilty in her absence by magistrates of failing to send off the required part of a registration document in a car sale.

The 40-year-old appealed and told a hearing at Worcester Crown Court yesterday that she was not guilty because she knew she had sent off the information. She had not appeared at the earlier magistrates hearing due to a misunderstanding.

Judge Michael Cullum, sitting with two magistrates, allowed the appeal because no-one had appeared to prosecute it. He said the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency had been aware of the hearing and it would be unfair to adjourn it and force Mrs Allsop to take another day off work to return to court.

He said all fines and costs would be quashed.