CASH-strapped health chiefs in Worcestershire have been accused of getting their priorities wrong after they employed a security guard to patrol a Pershore car park in order to direct shoppers to other parking spaces within the town.

Andrew Reeves, from North Piddle, says he could not believe Worcestershire Primary Care Trust was spending money protecting parking spaces instead of on hospital services.

He spoke out after going to the car park of the Old Pershore Health Centre in Priest Lane and parking in a space designated for staff at the nearby library.

He was told by a security guard that he could not park in the space, even though the library was shut that day.

He said: "This is the PCT that can't afford to keep open accident wards and can't afford to maintain hospital services but can put somebody on there to protect the car parking spaces for the library.

"I don't know what on earth this country's coming to when they do stuff like that.

"If the PCT have enough money to spend on something like that, where are their priorities lying? It's absolutely crazy."

Mr Reeves said he believed the car park was open to the public with the exception of the library's spaces and claimed there were no signs anywhere to say it was not.

However, a spokeswoman for the PCT said they owned the car park and it was reserved for staff at the new Medical Centre, Pershore Hospital and Wychavon library only.

She added: "As local Pershore people were parking on our premises, our estates department now employs a security person to ensure there are spaces available for hospital shift workers, nurses involved in community clinics and staff from the new medical centre."