IPSWICH: Some visitors hoping to see friends and relations in Ipswich Hospital over the weekend faced problems finding a parking space after the main car park was closed for maintenance.

The car park shut late on Friday afternoon to give engineers the chance to carry out work on the surface.

It was due to be re-opened by this morning.

But some visitors heading to the hospital late on Friday found it impossible to find anywhere to park.

Michael Drain drove from his home at Stowmarket to visit his mother in hospital only to find there were no spaces available.

He said: “I came over at about 7pm and found the main car park closed.

“The other parks were all full and it was impossible to find anywhere to leave the car.

“No-one at the hospital seemed to know what was happening – but I did get a call at about 9pm to explain what had happened.”

Hospital spokeswoman Jan Rowsell said the car park needed maintenance, especially after the severe weather of the last few months.

It was decided to close it from the end of afternoon visiting on Friday until this morning to allow the work to be completed – and notices had been put up about the closure well in advance.

She said: “Work has to be done on the parks from time to time and we find that with fewer people around at the weekends there is not normally a problem with visitors finding spaces in alternative parks.

“We are very sorry if anyone was inconvenienced by the closure – but it is necessary to do work like this to maintain the car parks in good order.”

n Have you had problems parking at the hospital? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk