RETIRING GP Huw Williams who has worked in Trowbridge for more than 30 years was given an unwanted leaving present when he received a parking ticket on a visit to the town's Community Hospital.

Dr Williams, who retired from Adcroft Surgery on Thursday after working as a GP in the town since 1979, has visited the hospital on thousands of occasions over the years to see inpatients and casualties.

However, following a 30-minute visit to the physiotherapy department on April 1, Dr Williams was shocked to receive a parking fine through the post for £80 – reduced to £40 if he paid in 14 days.

The 63-year-old, who commutes to work from his home in Swansea, said he was unable to park in one of the parking bays at the hospital as they were all full, so parked his car in front of the hospital.

Dr Williams said: “I was completely surprised when the ticket arrived though the post. I was visiting the physiotherapy department and there were no spaces, so I just parked out the front on NHS land as I have done thousands of times.

“I was only in there for about half an hour. They have CCTV covering the front of the hospital, but if they pulled up my registration details it would show I was a doctor.

“It is absolutely extraordinary and a pretty thoughtful leaving present from the NHS. I decided to pay the fine as you get all these threats about legal action in the letter if you don’t pay by a certain time and I didn’t want the hassle.

“This has never happened to me before and I have never heard it happening to any of my colleagues before. It seems to be a bit of a one off really, but it’s crazy that after all these years I have got a ticket in my last few weeks.”

Dr Williams, who was already semi-retired and worked two days a week at the Adcroft Surgery, said he is looking forward to spending his retirement enjoying the countryside near his home.

The cardiology specialist added: “It was not a difficult decision to retire as it is the right time. I’m looking forward to spending my time enjoying the countryside and not getting any more parking tickets.

“If I was parked illegally they could have just left a letter or something on my windshield, but common sense just seems to just go out of the window.”