A bookshop owner pressed his MP on parking restrictions while he was signing copies of his novel.

Tan Dhillon, who recently took over the Village Bookshop in High Road, Woodford Green, invited Iain Duncan Smith for a signing last Friday.

And while the MP was autographing copies of his thriller, ‘The Devil’s Tune’, Mr Dhillon bent his ear on parking.

He said: “I had a chat with Mr Duncan Smith about giving people 30 minutes free parking along the High Road parade and around the corner from the bookshop.

“He agreed and will be pushing for this to happen as this will help all the traders.”

Mr Dhillon says he also convinced the Chingford and Woodford Green MP to take away a book on Parkinson’s disease.

He explained: “I had Terry Rummins, the author of ‘So I've got Parkinson’s’ in.

“Mr Duncan Smith is sending her book to the Secretary of State for Health.”

Mr Duncan Smith said: “I am in full support of the campaign to secure 30 minutes of free parking on the high road and I have written to Keith Prince (leader of Redbridge council) to express my view on this.

"The shops on this road are clearly suffering because it is very difficult for people to park around here.

"The ticket machine is also a long walk away if you park on High Elms on or one of those back roads.”