HOSPITAL bosses have found a cure for staff parking problems at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Last month the Evening Telegraph was called by nurses and a new doctor at the hospital to say their cars were being clamped in a parking crackdown by security staff. And bosses admitted there were not enough spaces to go round.

But now East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust's travel team, whose job is to promote environmentally friendly transport, has come up with a sporty solution to the problem - with a little help from Blackburn Rovers.

The club has offered doctors and nurses the use of Ewood Park's car park to create a 'park and walk' scheme. Staff pay for a permit to use the car park, which is just a few minutes walk from the Infirmary - and Blackburn Rovers season ticket holders get a discount.

Ewood Park's stadium safety manager John Newsham said: "We are very keen to foster links with the neighbouring groups and organisations around Ewood Park and the Infirmary is one of those.

"There is a lot of pressure on Blackburn Royal Infirmary's car park, which is pay and display. Staff from the Infirmary can now use a secure area at Ewood Park and walk to work for £8.80 a month and if they are a season ticket holder it is £4.40 a month.

"So staff who are season ticket holders can park for just £1 a week. It's gone down extremely well."

The Trust had hoped to be able to cope with the limited parking at Blackburn Royal Infirmary until 2006 when the new £100million Queen's Park hospital opens - creating a single 'super' hospital for the town.

But staff were furious to find they were being clamped during the blitz last month and said the hospital should be sorting the situation out rather than penalising them for leaving their cars illegally parked.

Among those caught in the crackdown was anaesthetist Dr Omprakash Shan who drove round for 25 minutes on his first day at the Infirmary looking for a space and finally left his car in an unmarked bay because he was going to be late for his induction.

A spokesman for the hospital said: "We've always struggled for parking spaces on the Infirmary site and we wanted to do something to help ease congestion.

"Our travel team has been in negotiation with Ewood Park and they came up with this. It's proved very successful."