A DOCTOR on his first day at Blackburn Infirmary was among the staff and visitors to have their cars clamped as part of a parking blitz.

Today hospital bosses admitted there were not enough spaces to go around.

But they said the problem would be resolved when the new £100million Queen's Park super hospital opens in 2006.

Nurses at the busy hospital telephoned the Evening Telegraph to complain about clamps being fitted to their cars.

And Dr Omprakash Shan said he was clamped on his first day at the hospital. Dr Shan, an anaesthetist, said he looked for a parking spot for 25 minutes.

"I couldn't find one so I left it in an unmarked bay. I was going to be late for my induction so I had to do something."

One nurse, who did not want to be named, said: "There aren't enough spaces and sometimes the staff car parking spaces are taken by visitors.

"That means that sometimes we have to park where we shouldn't do. We know that, technically, we should not park in these places but there is nowhere else to go.

"They shouldn't be clamping us, they should sort the car park out."

Chris Watson, of Plantation Street, Accrington, said he struggled to find a space during a trip to see a sick relative.

"It's always full and you have to drive round and round and round before you get one," he said.

Another visitor said the situation was exacerbated by a residents' only parking scheme in the streets surrounding the hospital.

Residents pay the council £10 a year to Blackburn with Darwen Council for parking in bays outside their homes.

Although it has not been administered properly, non-residents face fines if they park in the bays.

Beleaguered security staff at the hospital claimed they were under constant pressure from drivers. But, they added, they always tried to find people spaces and sometimes they had no choice but to clamp cars.

A spokesman for the hospital said: "We are aware that car parking is a problem and we do have plans to significantly increase provision once services are moved to the new development at Queen's Park Hospital.

"Currently there are not enough car parking spaces for staff on the Blackburn Royal Infirmary site and there is no room to create additional spaces. Also, most of the streets around the Infirmary have restricted parking for residents only.

"There are some local authority car parking spaces located at Ivy Street, although not enough to meet demand.

"We put measures in place to alleviate the problem, including a shuttle bus service that enables staff working at the Infirmary to park their cars at Queen's Park Hospital."