Loud thumping from rear wheel

[Badlands]

A question for all, you mechanical types.

I came back from a two week holiday, jumped in the golf and drove off, usual clunk from the handbrake after a layup but then a loud thump, thump, thump..... from the rear offside wheel.
When I say loud, it was like a delaminated tyre flapping against the underbody.
I stopped immediately but nothing obvious was visible, it was related to wheel rotation as the frequency increased with road speed, I drove gingerly round the block and it eased and then stopped and hasn't returned.

I'm thinking It was something to do the with the parking break sticking, any suggestions and do you guys think I should have VW take a look?

Thanks.

[Finglonga]

Is the brake lining still on the pad on the outer and inner? Could be a build up of rust on the disc where the brakes had partially seized on.

[TweedsideR]

I'm thinking It was something to do the with the parking break sticking?

Yup. I had exactly the same when I left my car parked up while I was on a two-week holiday. When I drove it in the car park, I noticed the same noise and, like you, I could see nothing obviously wrong. I then drove in the car park applying the brakes frequently and the noise stopped. Since then, if I leave the car parked for a long time, I leave the gearbox in "park" and turn the handbrake off.

[Talk-torque]

Both replies on the money, I reckon. I’ve had this, when I left my car with the handbrake on, after washing it. The rear brake system seems to have a few problems, this being one and premature, extreme wear of pads and discs another.

[Badlands]

Thanks guy's, I checked the pad location and all looks okay and it's been fine since.
I'll do as TweedsideR suggests and leave it in gear (it's a manual) whenever it's going to be laid up for a while.