A cancer patient has been flooded with support from strangers after being turned away from a hospital scan.
Charles Boyle said he was asked to leave Clatterbridge Hospital after telling a nurse he had travelled there by bus.
The 68-year-old, from New Brighton, was due to have an appointment Monday, January 11 to have an internal camera investigation on his bladder.
But after saying how he got there, Mr Boyle said he was "ushered out of the clinic" over fears he was exposed to coronavirus.
The pensioner, who has a free bus pass, said he now doesn't know how he will travel to the clinic for future appointments, and wanted to warn other patients who may get caught out by the rule.
He said: "I don't know how you're supposed to get there. I can't see taxis being any better.
"I don't know how I'm supposed to get there, it's about 20 miles away - it's not within walking distance."
Now Mr Boyle, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, has been inundated with messages of support from strangers across Merseyside.
A number of people contacted the ECHO to say they would be happy to give My Boyle a lift to his appointments or even to pay for a taxi for him.
Although sharing a car is not generally permitted under lockdown rules, there are exceptions for providing emergency assistance and support for a vulnerable person.
On Facebook, Julie Pierce said: "That’s an expensive taxi from Wallasey to Clatterbridge both ways bless him.
"I hope there is a way of funding transport if elderly are not allowed to use buses for appointments.
"They don’t all have family with cars."
Manda Pendleton also said: "What if he cannot afford a taxi? That’s an absolute joke.
"That’s made me so angry."
Jean Foster added: "Not everyone has people to take them and not every one can afford a taxi. They're not cheap."
Mr Boyle wanted to stress his complaint is why he was not told beforehand not to travel by bus to appointments, not about the cancer treatment he has received so far from the NHS.
He added: "I had kidney cancer. They took the kidney out and that seems to have done the trick on that one. Then I had bladder cancer which I've had since 2013. The treatment's been fantastic, out of this world.
"That's not my complaint, my complaint is that it doesn't mention in the literature. They don't even ask you.
"It's not even one of their questions when you get there. It was only in a passing conversation I happened to mention I came on the bus.
"I don't know how you're supposed to get there. I can't see taxis being any better.
"I don't know how I'm supposed to get there, it's about 20 miles away - it's not within walking distance."
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The ECHO approached Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH) who run the urology clinic at Clatterbridge for comment.
A Wirral University Teaching Hospital spokesperson said: “Patient safety is our priority and we have strict processes in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to protect patients.
“Due to the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community at this time we are urging people where possible to travel by car or taxi when attending hospital for a procedure (e.g. an operation).
"This travel advice has been in place since the start of the pandemic.
“We do our very best to ensure patients are aware of our processes before they attend an appointment and we apologise if this was not made clear to My Boyle before he attended for his procedure.
“Another appointment has been set up for him later this month and we will continue to ensure our advice to patients is communicated clearly.”
An earlier version of this story showed an incorrect picture of the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.
The incident, as the story states, happened at the Clatterbridge Hospital.
