THE Mayor has issued a public apology after the mayoral vehicle was spotted parked in a disabled bay without a blue badge.

Latchford resident Tim Wright, 44, accused Cllr Geoff Settle of using 'double standards' after seeing the Audi parked at Orford Jubilee Neighbourhood Hub on Saturday.

Cllr Settle, who has been suffering from a knee injury, attended the venue to see inspirational residents take part in Warrington Disability Partnership's (WDP) swimathon.

But in a lengthy Facebook post he apologised for the 'inappropriate parking'.

"Our attendant said that he would go and move the car closer to the entrance – he is acutely aware that I am struggling to walk even short distances at the moment," he said.

"He said that he would wait outside the entrance and meet us at the entrance to the hub.

"I have been suffering for six months with some sort of injury to my left knee that has got progressively worse. It is painfully restricting movement a lot of the time when I walk.

"As we were leaving the swimming pool we were called back because a shoal of WDP swimmers had just completed their allotted number of lengths – how could we not present another batch of certificates, along with photographs at poolside with each swimmer?

"We also took time to have a brief word with each competitor to find out more about their achievement, many of whom had swum further than they ever had before.

"Some managed 64 lengths or a mile and one even managed 160. Whatever the distance, they had all done a fantastic job.

"Our attendant has apologised for parking in the disabled bay – there is no excuse for it, not even easing my walk.

"He did wait within eyesight of the vehicle in case anyone else wanted the parking spot, especially the disabled swimmers."