Patients fined while parking in a surgery car park with broken ticket machines will not be offered a refund.

A number of drivers, many of whom were elderly or ill, were ticketed in the car park in High Road while visiting the South Woodford Medical Centre.

Both ticket machines were broken for more than two weeks, leaving users with the only option to pay using their mobile phones.

However, patients without a mobile phone say they had no choice but to park without paying to pick up vital prescriptions and access treatment.

Redbridge Council has now said it will not cancel the £60 fines and insists patients must appeal.

A spokesman said: “While we accept that the pay and display machines have been not working and have apologised for this inconvenience, it is the responsibility of motorists to ensure they pay the appropriate fee or seek alternative arrangements.

“The signage in the car park directs motorists to the RingGo system and clearly warns that failure to pay may result in the issue of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

“Should a driver ignore this option when a machine is out of order they are likely to receive a PCN.

"Refunds are not given to motorists who have received a correctly issued PCN, although, as always, any appeals will be considered on their merits.”

One of the ticket machines has now been fixed.