BLUE badge holders and patients who regularly attend appointments for long-term conditions at Crewe's Leighton Hospital will be permitted to park for free when charges are reinstated on Saturday (Aug 1).

Parents of sick children staying overnight will also be entitled to free parking under new long-term concessions introduced by Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Signage will direct eligible patients and visitors on the process to obtain the free parking.

Charges for all other patients and visitors to the hospital are being reinstated following their temporary suspension during the coronavirus pandemic.

A trust spokesman said: "Due to low numbers of visitors during the peak of the pandemic, charges and restrictions were suspended to enable our staff to park for free in patient car parks located closer to the buildings.

"As we are now working to restore our normal services, we are reinstating designated patient car parks and associated charges.

"Tariffs for car parking, which have not changed since 2008, are set to ensure the cost of maintaining and improving parking and security and do not impact on finances allocated for patient care."

The trust already provides free parking for renal patients, cancer patients receiving treatment, visitors of patients on the palliative care pathway, research patients and trust members for related events and volunteers.