A woman was hit with a £60 parking fine at a Bradford hospital – after priority was given to Santa over disabled patients.

Sue Jackson visited St Luke’s Hospital in Little Horton, with her 88-year-old parents, as her father, who has a heart condition among other illnesses, had an appointment with a consultant.

She arrived at 9.40am to find a temporary barrier across the only empty disabled bays at the back of the Horton Wing, making them inaccessible. With an appointment to keep at 10am, and with both parents dependent on wheelchairs, she asked a passing member of staff where she could park.

Mrs Jackson says the staff member removed the barrier and said she could park in the disabled bay, which she did, displaying a blue disabled badge. But when she returned she found the parking charge notice, timed at 9.51am, which alleged she had parked “in a restricted area” and “irresponsibly”. It further alleged the barriers had been removed by the owner of the car.

Mrs Jackson went to the hospital reception to query the ticket and was told the disabled parking bays had been put out of action so Santa could park. He was due to appear later that day for the hospital’s Christmas lights switch-on, arriving on a motorised sledge.

Mrs Jackson, of Brisbane Avenue, King’s Park, Bradford, said: “I was so cross when I was told it was cordoned off for Santa. I am disgusted that they think Santa is more important than two 88-year-olds who are very frail.”

Mrs Jackson, who is now appealing against the parking ticket, said: “I did not remove the barrier and I parked between the lines in a disabled parking bay, displaying the correct blue badge. If I have to go to jail I will.”

Her husband Peter questioned whether Santa had the necessary blue badge to park in a disabled bay, adding: “Why cannot he park on the roof like he normally does?”

The Jacksons are not the only ones in dispute with the hospital over parking for disabled patients.

Brenda Jackson, of Giggleswick, received a parking ticket at St Luke’s after taking her 85-year-old mother, who is disabled and has Alzheimer’s disease, to an appointment. She said: “There were no free, disabled parking spaces at the hospital so I had to park in the nearest parking space.

“I displayed my mother’s parking permit and displayed the time of arrival. One hour later we returned to the car to find a parking charge notice. I had parked in zone one which apparently is for staff.

“In view of my mother’s disability and inability to walk far, the nearest parking area was the most sensible choice to make.”

A Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: “There are 31 disabled bays and 118 pay and display spaces at St Luke’s that blue badge holders can park in for free.

Only two spaces out of the 31 disabled spaces available at St Luke’s Hospital were taken out of action for our Christmas lights switch-on ceremony.

“This decision was taken to ensure the safety of 198 local primary school children who attended.

“Zone 1 spaces, however, are clearly marked as designated for doctors and staff whose job requires them to frequently move between different hospital sites and access the facilities quickly in an emergency.

“We would urge blue badge holders to arrive in good time for their appointments, in order to explore the various disabled bays situated around the hospital, and that all drivers parking cars should adhere to the parking signs.”