Drivers say they found themselves trapped in a car park at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital - because the machines to pay were all out of order.

Frustrated motorists said they had spent an hour stuck in the privately operated car park next to the Bob Champion building today.

One man said: 'There are two places where you can pay, but one of them said it was out of order and the other one, when you put your ticket in, it just ate it and didn't give you the opportunity to pay or to ask for it back.

'We were ringing the helpline number, but not getting anywhere. We went back into the hospital, but they said it's not a car park which they manage.

'Eventually we did get hold of someone from the car park company, after about an hour. They lifted the barrier, but said they would only be doing that for about five minutes, but there's about 20 cars in there waiting to get out.

'There were an elderly couple in the car park who were still trying their best to pay and I was telling them that they needed to go, but they wanted to be sure they had paid.

'I'm concerned, because people are still being allowed into the car park and they might find they can't get out later.'

National Parking Enforcement, which operates the car park, have been approached for comment.