Hospital officials have apologised to a Huddersfield pensioner, left fuming after a hospital parking row.

Kenneth Peel was hit with a £30 fine - even though he was unable to buy a ticket as the machine was broken.

And he had already donated to charity in lieu of the charge after being directed to the reception desk at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

But the penalty charge was waived after the Examiner intervened and contacted hospital officials, who have said: “Sorry”.

“There was no way I was going to pay,” said Mr Peel, 70, of Ravensknowle Road, Moldgreen. “I sent the parking fine notice back with that message.”

Trouble erupted after Mr Peel took his wife to the hospital on October 20. They went to the Acre Mills parking area but saw a large ‘Out of Order’ notice on the machine and a request to go to reception.

“So we did and they took my registration number and asked us to donate to the charity box. I put £2.50 in which was equal to what the two-hour fee would have been,” he said.

“We thought no more of it until this week when a parking fine arrived for £30 and going up to £60 if not paid within 14 days.”

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust Acre Mills Outpatients, Lindley, Huddersfield.

Realising it was the day the machine was out of action, Mr Peel called hospital security who checked the log and said the machine had been down from 10.50 on October 20 to 14.10 the following day.

“A lot of people could be getting those tickets,” he said. “We went at 11.25am and were out in about an hour.

“When I got the fine notice, I sent a note explaining what had happened and saying we are not paying the fine.

“I donated an equal amount to charity and did everything we were advised to do”

The Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust’s estates associate director, David McGarrigan, said: “We are very sorry the problem occurred when the machine was out of action and for the inconvenience caused for Mr Peel.

“As soon as we were made aware, we contacted the company to rescind the ticket and have told Mr Peel this has been actioned.”