Shoppers trying to snap up bargains on Oxford Street are stealing disabled parking spaces.

More than 80% of Westminster City Council's Blue Badge fraud cases came from people misusing the badges around Portman Mews Square at Marylebone , councillors have been told.

Council staff told the audit and performance committee on Wednesday (November 14) that when challenged, most drivers admitted they were headed to Oxford Street's shopping district and using a family member or partner's badge to park.

In some cases the council staff had even taken photographs of private hire vehicles between fares using a relative’s badge to park in the borough.

Figures provided to Westminster's audit and performance committee showed between April and September, 53 such offenders were successfully prosecuted, netting £19,117 in fines and victim surcharges.

Marylebone High Street had the highest number of prosecutions, with 28 cases of Blue Badge fraud proven, followed by 17 in the West End.

Committee chairman Cllr Ian Rowley said he had heard of cases in other boroughs were people were able to falsely claim Blue Badges.

In one case in his Marylebone High Street ward, he said suspicions were raised over someone who was using a badge for a "vague" back injury, who had got the badge from a different borough.

Most drivers admitted they were using their partners' or relatives' Blue Badges to go shopping

Council staff told him there had been an improvement in controls to stop people who didn't need the Blue Badges attempting to get them "rubber-stamped" by local councils.

The Blue Badges are now issued through London Councils to prevent them being misused.

It is a criminal offence to misuse a Blue Badge and doing so can lead to a £1,000 fine

Due to the amount of congestion and high demand for parking in central London, the Blue Badge scheme doesn't apply for locals in areas like Westminster or the Square Mile.

Instead, Westminster City Council operates its own White Badge scheme for residents and organisations working with disabled people, which works alongside a Blue Badge.