A MAN has vowed not to pay a parking fine after he was given a ticket while visiting the doctor.

Michael Wellock has accused bosses of Birmingham-based Central Ticketing of targeting ill people after he received a ticket while visiting the Moorgate Primary Care Centre in Derby Way, near The Rock.

He parked his vehicle on private land at an adjoining free car park at the Moorgate Retail Park because the health centre’s own pay and display car park was full.

Mr Wellock, aged 61, visited the Halfords store on the retail site before visiting his GP nearby.

But on his return, he was shocked to discover a ticket had been issued because he had left the site.

But the civil engineer, who has been off work for more than two months, said: “I looked at notices around the free car park and the regulation about not leaving the site was in tiny lettering.

“You would need a pair of binoculars to read the wording. I’ve been fined £50 and if I don’t pay within 14 days, it jumps to £100. If I wait until a court summons is issued, it goes up to £265.

“But I’m not going to pay this. If this company wants to come and get me, then bring it on. To target ill people using the car park to go to their GP nearby is absolutely disgusting. They are fining sick people and there’s no way I’m going to stand for that.”

Mr Wellock, of Newington Drive, who has two ulcers on his lungs, added: “I just don’t understand why anyone in Bury should be using a company like that. This car park is empty for much of the day.”

Mrs Michelle Armstrong, practice manager at Moorgate Primary Care Centre, said she sympathised with Mr Wellock’s plight but could not intervene.

She said: “We have limited car parking spaces for patients but by the autumn of next year, there will be a new multi-storey car park available. I would suggest that anyone with a problem about the retail park car park should get in touch with the owner of the land.”

No-one at Central Ticketing was available for comment.