A charity thought to have raised millions of pounds for a hospital through car boot sales fears its donations will drastically diminish after a trust decided to begin charging customers to park.

The Whipps Cross Hospital League of Friends has provided the cash to buy equipment including an ultrasound scanner, a defribrillator in the last year, mainly from income derived from its monthly car boot sales held in a car park of the Leytonstone hospital.

The League claims that an informal agreement with the hospital meant that no car boot sale customers have had to pay to park for the last 28 years.

But now Bart’s Health Trust, which took charge of Whipps after a merger last year, decided to start charging people upwards of £2.50 to park from last weekend, after months of discussions with the charity.

League chairperson Brenda Fone claimed that the move came as a surprise despite negotiations, as the group knew nothing of the decision until staff began handing out flyers to customers at Saturday’s sale.

She said: “I’m absolutely livid. Usually you can see the cars driving round and round looking for a free space but on Saturday that car park was empty.

“It doesn’t make sense. The amount they’ll bring in from punters parking compared to the amount they will lose in donations from us is tiny.”

The League collects money from the 50-odd sellers who pay for a stall at the car park every first Saturday of the month between March and November, and makes further cash by selling refreshments.

But Mrs Fone fears that the car parking fee will scare off customers, in turn causing traders to lose money and eventually go elsewhere to sell their wares.

Valerie Vallis, League treasurer, was at the car boot sale on Saturday when hospital staff handed out flyers warning customers they had to pay.

She said: “We’re all very concerned. It’s become a social gathering and people love coming. We are very disappointed because our sales are going to go down.”

Mrs Fone added: “Next year is our 60th anniversary. Now I fear whether we’ll still be around.”

The trust has been approached for comment.