By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 10:57 EST, 7 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:05 EST, 7 May 2013 . Sarah Brown today revealed she had been hit with an £80 fine after failing to properly pay to use trains in London. The charity campaigner and wife of ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown said she was 'hugely upset' by the penalty for not using her Oyster card on the Docklands Light Railway in East London. But after a little help from London Underground staff, she said she was able to cut the fine to £40. Sarah Brown, wife of former Prime Minister Gordon, revealed her travel woes to her 1.2million followers on Twitter . Mrs Brown said she was 'hugely upset' by the fine for not properly paying for her journey . Mrs Brown revealed her travel woes to her 1.2million followers on Twitter. She wrote: 'Hugely upset after being fined £80 on Docklands Light Railway as I had not swiped my Oyster card properly in an honest error :-(' Oyster cards are pre-loaded swipe cards which travellers must touch on to a reader at each end of their journey to deduct their fare. Since Mr Brown left Number 10 in 2010, he and his wife have run the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown from a tower block in east London. Within 10 minutes Mrs Brown had discovered she could halve the fine if she paid promptly. She added: 'Seems to be £40 if I pay quickly and don't appeal. I do have my receipt . to show I paid my travel fare once I reached my destination.' Within 10 minutes she had discovered she could halve the penalty by paying promptly . The staff at the tube station were 'especially lovely', Mrs Brown added . Since Mr Brown left Number 10 in 2010, he and his wife have run the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown from a tower block in east London . Mrs Brown went on to thank staff for their help in cutting the charge: 'Just to say that the staff at Russell Sq tube are especially lovely and were v helpful at getting my Oyster card legal and decent again.' Transport for London said investigate the circumstances of the incident. Shashi Verma, TfL’s Director of Customer Experience, told the Evening Standard: 'Our customers can appeal if they think we’ve made a mistake in issuing a penalty fare. 'We’re glad our staff at Russell Square were helpful and, just as we would with any other customer, we’ll be happy to take a look at the circumstances if Mrs Brown feels it was wrong to issue it.' In 2000, Cherie Blair was fined £10 for failing to buy a ticket from London to Luton.
Wife of former Labour PM reveals her travel woes on Twitter .
Failed to scan payment card when using Docklands Light Rail .
Tube staff help her to cut fine to £40 by paying promptly .
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 10:57 EST, 7 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:05 EST, 7 May 2013 . Sarah Brown today revealed she had been hit with an £80 fine after failing to properly pay to use trains in London. The charity campaigner and wife of ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown said she was 'hugely upset' by the penalty for not using her Oyster card on the Docklands Light Railway in East London. But after a little help from London Underground staff, she said she was able to cut the fine to £40. Sarah Brown, wife of former Prime Minister Gordon, revealed her travel woes to her 1.2million followers on Twitter . Mrs Brown said she was 'hugely upset' by the fine for not properly paying for her journey . Mrs Brown revealed her travel woes to her 1.2million followers on Twitter. She wrote: 'Hugely upset after being fined £80 on Docklands Light Railway as I had not swiped my Oyster card properly in an honest error :-(' Oyster cards are pre-loaded swipe cards which travellers must touch on to a reader at each end of their journey to deduct their fare. Since Mr Brown left Number 10 in 2010, he and his wife have run the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown from a tower block in east London. Within 10 minutes Mrs Brown had discovered she could halve the fine if she paid promptly. She added: 'Seems to be £40 if I pay quickly and don't appeal. I do have my receipt . to show I paid my travel fare once I reached my destination.' Within 10 minutes she had discovered she could halve the penalty by paying promptly . The staff at the tube station were 'especially lovely', Mrs Brown added . Since Mr Brown left Number 10 in 2010, he and his wife have run the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown from a tower block in east London . Mrs Brown went on to thank staff for their help in cutting the charge: 'Just to say that the staff at Russell Sq tube are especially lovely and were v helpful at getting my Oyster card legal and decent again.' Transport for London said investigate the circumstances of the incident. Shashi Verma, TfL’s Director of Customer Experience, told the Evening Standard: 'Our customers can appeal if they think we’ve made a mistake in issuing a penalty fare. 'We’re glad our staff at Russell Square were helpful and, just as we would with any other customer, we’ll be happy to take a look at the circumstances if Mrs Brown feels it was wrong to issue it.' In 2000, Cherie Blair was fined £10 for failing to buy a ticket from London to Luton.
the Docklands Light Railway in East London. But staff, she said she was able to cut the fine to £40. Sarah Brown, wife of former Prime Minister 1.2million followers on Twitter . Mrs Brown said revealed her travel woes to her 1.2million discovered she could halve the penalty by paying