Charity volunteer hit with parking fine as he drops patient at hospital

£170 BILL CANCELLED AFTER M.E.N. TAKES UP CASE ON BEHALF OF FURIOUS RETIRED TEACHER

- DAMON WILKINSON

A HOSPITAL parking fine given to a charity volunteer as he took a disabled man to an appointment has been cancelled after the M.E.N. took up the case.

John Ling, 77, was initially slapped with a £70 for a 10-minute stay outside Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

The retired teacher, a volunteer driver who takes children, disabled and elderly people to medical appointments, says he was forced to park outside the main entrance because no other spaces were available.

He says he took the wheelchairbound man to his appointment on the first floor and returned to his car within 10 minutes, only to find he'd got a ticket - despite displaying an NHS patient transport sign on his windscreen.

Mr Ling appealed the fine and the boss of Being There, the charity he was volunteering for at the time, also wrote in his support, describing Mr Ling as a 'highly dedicated, compassionate volunteer, who gives up his time to support others!