A DISABLED patient who was slapped with a parking fine has hit out at doctors and nurses for using disabled bays.

Paul Harper, from Paul’s Way, in Clacton, was left angry after being fined £25 for parking in an unallocated spot close to the disabled parking area at Colchester Hospital.

But he said he was unable to park in an allocated spot because they were all taken up.

Mr Harper claimed many of the spots were taken by doctors, nurses and building contractors who preferred to park closer to the hospital than in the staff car park.

The 59-year-old mechanic is due to have a hip operation and is currently unable to walk very far.

“These people are the ones who are supposed to be looking after us – and they are the ones abusing the system,” he said.

A spokesman for Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust said the parking ticket would be cancelled.

He said: “Designated disabled bays can be used only by people with a valid blue badge so it is disappointing if staff deprive a disabled person of a space by abusing this system.

“When this does happen, our head of facilities writes to the staff member involved and copies in their line manager."