A grandfather in his 90s has thanked the Star after his Ipswich Hospital parking fine was cancelled.

Blue Badge holder Gerald Kelly, from Alderton, near Woodbridge, got in contact after receiving a parking charge notice he said he was incorrectly issued after attending an appointment at the hospital.

Mr Kelly, 91, was extremely upset to have received the £70 charge - discounted to £35 if paid within 14 days - as he had followed the new instructions for parking for Blue Badge holders.

Ipswich Hospital has a new ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) system, and carers, Blue Badge holders and staff have all complained of being incorrectly fined.

East Anglian Daily Times: Gerald Kelly, 91, had been concerned others who were incorrectly fined at Ipswich Hospital car park would just pay up.Gerald Kelly, 91, had been concerned others who were incorrectly fined at Ipswich Hospital car park would just pay up. (Image: Jess Coppins)

After receiving a letter in the post last week to say the charge had been cancelled, he said: "I'm very pleased and thank you very much for your help.

"I thought 'let's get someone to help me' and you were the first people I thought of."

Mr Kelly had been concerned the parking letters would "frighten a lot of people" and many "will pay regardless of fault".

He said his daughter spoke with the hospital's travel team after we contacted the hospital's communications team and then we provided Mr Kelly with the phone number.

But Mr Kelly said they were told the fault lay with the hospital, for not booking him in correctly, rather than the parking system.

Previously, Paul Fenton, director of estates and facilities at ESNEFT, said: “We’re grateful to Mr Kelly for bringing this to our attention and we are very sorry for any inconvenience caused to him by the new ANPR system at Ipswich Hospital.

“If anyone believes they have been fined in error, we’d strongly encourage them to contact us directly and we will investigate further."

The trust has an appeal process in place for anyone who feels they have been unfairly fined.

Email travel.plan@esneft.nhs.uk or call 01473 703821 Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm or 9am to 2pm on Saturdays.

"The team are here to help and are very happy to listen to appeals,” Mr Fenton said.