A Suffolk garden centre is introducing restrictions in its car park in an attempt to stop customers parking while they shop elsewhere.

Notcutts Woodbridge garden centre in Ipswich Road has said it will begin rolling out the parking enforcement scheme in the coming weeks.

Bosses at the garden centre say they have been experiencing numerous customers parking at the store before heading into the town centre or other services nearby.

Notcutts Woodbridge is less than half a mile from the high street in the town centre and the railway station.

The garden centre's car park is also next door to the Framfield House doctors' surgery, which has significantly fewer spaces.

When the restrictions come into effect motorists will be required to enter their registration number at a terminal.

However, visitors will be entitled to 30 minutes of parking for free before being required to pay for a longer stay.

Notcutts customers who make a "minimum spend" purchase in either the garden centre or restaurant will be permitted up to two hours of parking by claiming a refund in-store.

Darren Brooks, general manager at Notcutts Woodbridge, said: "We have regrettably been experiencing a number of people parking in our garden centre car park for extended periods while commuting or shopping in Woodbridge.

"Unfortunately this has meant that some Notcutts customers have found it difficult to park when visiting our garden centre.

"To ensure we provide a better experience for our customers, we will be working in partnership with Horizon Parking to implement a new 'Park, Pay and Shop' scheme in the coming weeks."

Caroline Page, county councillor for Woodbridge, said: "There is parking in the town but a lot of people are reluctant to pay for it.

"There is pressure on the car parks that are free.

"You also have to wait an hour to get in or out of Woodbridge by bus.

"The underlying issue is that we have a lot of cars, putting extra pressure on the parking that is available.

"A lot of people should make the decision on whether they need to drive at all, leaving the parking for people who do."