'Cowardly' traffic warden is slammed for slapping a FUNERAL CAR with a parking ticket as driver 'helped load a body into an accompanying hearse' at hospital - 'before running away'

• e-mail

A 'cowardly' traffic warden has been criticised for putting on a parking ticket on a funeral car as the driver was allegedly loading a body into an accompanying hearse.

George Portsmouth, 30, took pictures of the car being ticketed at North Cumbria University Hospital in Carlisle – before the warden is said to have run away.

The attendant allegedly watched the cortege car accompany the hearse into the hospital grounds, before waiting for both drivers to disappear inside the building.

The funeral car was pictured being ticketed at North Cumbria University Hospital in Carlisle

The attendant allegedly waited for both drivers to disappear inside the hospital building

Mr Portsmouth claimed the warden from Coventry-based company UK Parking Control (UKPC) then placed a ticket on the window and swiftly moved away.

Pictures show the cortege driver, who Mr Portsmouth believes was a fellow undertaker, return to find the ticket and show it to the hearse driver in disbelief.

HGV driver Mr Portsmouth said: 'It was obvious what that car was there for.

'I saw the warden was watching what they were doing and the second they went inside he rushed and put the ticket on the cortege car and ran off.

'He wasn't walking, he was running. He's seen them come in and waited until they were out of sight before he ticketed them.

'He must have known what they were doing. Some of these car parking wardens can be quite ruthless and careless. It was bad form.'

Pictures show the cortege driver return to find the ticket and show it to the hearse driver

A warden had been inspecting vehicles in the car park before the two funeral cars arrived

The funeral car was accompanying a hearse and both vehicles had originally parked close to the hospital building at 2pm on Monday.

However, Mr Portsmouth said the undertaker then decided to move the car a few feet away from the hearse before both drivers walked into the hospital.

A UKPC warden had been inspecting vehicles in the hospital car park before the two funeral cars arrived.

Mr Portsmouth claimed the warden watched the two cars park and the drivers disappear inside the building before he placed a ticket on the window of the cortege car.

The warden stuck the bright yellow ticket on the windscreen of the cortege car and took a picture of the number plate.

North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust claim they asked UKPC to investigate

Mr Portsmouth claimed that when the 'undertaker' returned around ten minutes later, he saw the ticket and looked at it in disbelief.

The man then walked over and showed it to the hearse driver and the shocked pair discussed the ticket before they both drove off.

The North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust claim they asked UKPC to investigate and as a result the ticket has now been rescinded.

A spokesperson for the hospital said: 'As soon as we were alerted to this situation we asked UKPC to investigate and the parking charge was quickly rescinded as a result.'

In 2015, UKPC was disciplined by the British Parking Association after some of its staff altered photographic evidence to unfairly impose parking charges.

Then last month it emerged that UKPC, which had a turnover of £11.6million last year, had been suspended by the DVLA while it investigates concerns.

A UKPC spokesman has been contacted for comment by MailOnline today.