Ian, not his real name because he was legally bound to secrecy when he left, pounded the streets for borough council sub-contractors Vinci Parks for two years.

He says colleagues falsified notes and hid around corners, while CCTV cameras, meant for public protection, were used to prey on motorists and even parked buses.

Attendants receive no commission and, when he left two years ago, the take-home wage was £800-a-month.

But the looming threat of the sack spurred attendants to find new ways catch motorists.

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Ian said: "You go for an interview and get the job as normal. We were supposed to get two weeks' training, but only got one because they didn't have enough staff.

"You took an exam but one of the supervisors told me everyone passed, whether they had or not, because of the shortage."

And, after a honeymoon period learning the ropes, Ian says the attendants begin to feel the heat.

He said: "There's no commission but if you don't get enough tickets, at least 20 or 30-a-day, you get pressured."

"Reading was divided into six different beats. If you worked around the Oxford Road area, you would be expected to get around 50 tickets a day. The town centre was around 30.

"If you weren't making it, you'd be called into the office and it would be made clear you would be out of a job if you didn't improve.

"It was like a bootcamp to be honest, but because they thought you couldn't get another job, they would talk to you like a piece of dirt. It was a terrible place and the atmosphere was terrible.

"PAs got no back-up. If they are assaulted by a member of the public, it's tough."

Ian explained: "If 2,000 tickets go back to the council, Vinci would get the proceeds from 500. The supervisors get a bonus and that's why they put so much pressure on the trainees."

Attendants would then be introduced to the tricks of the trade to increase the number of fines.

Ian said: "Motorists legally have five minutes. If you come back to your car in that time you can drive off.

"But we were instructed to enter the details and walk around the corner and then come back just before time was up.

"Before wardens got cameras, you could say a car was parked on a double yellow line, even if it wasn't. You could note the registration, take the tax details and record it being outside a certain house.

"You would definitely feel pressured to do these things for a peaceful life.

"Some would take the details of passing vehicles and throw the tickets in the bin. A few weeks later you get a ticket and most people pay it."

He added: "One of the supervisors would sometimes drive around in the mornings and then call in wardens to put tickets on the cars when wardens are supposed to walk around themselves."

"There is CCTV and you would get a call saying there are buses parked in the bus stop and to go and ticket them. Bus stops are only meant for picking up and dropping off, but it would just antagonise relations."

But, according to Ian, some errant parkers did avoid paying, and he explained: "One of the worst things was that the supervisors would cancel tickets if it was one of the attendant's friends. They would just squash them."

Borough transport leader Cllr John Howarth said last night: "Contractor employees abusing the system would be entirely unacceptable to Reading Borough Council.

"Had any evidence of this been presented to us we would have required an investigation of the situ-ation and disciplinary action against the individuals involved where it was appropriate.

"However, no such evidence has been presented. Where complaints have been made against individual attendants in the past, they have always been acted upon.

"I find some of the allegations in this incident to be fanciful, particularly those relating to CCTV."