'Sadistic' car clampers forced this hospital patient forced to walk to cash machine - twice

Teacher Colin Towers had parked his car in East Laith Gate, Doncaster, but when he returned with his wife Carey he found he had been clamped and 100 cash was demanded.

He had to walk into town to find a working cash machine, and when he returned was told he had to fetch another 50 to cancel a tow truck which had been called while he was away.

Mr Towers, 58, of Bessacarr, Doncaster, said clamping firm Parkright struck on an evening earlier this year. He said he had checked for restrictions and could not find any.

When he returned he was told there were signs, but they were 10ft in the air and consisted of 41 lines of white lettering on a black background which he insists were not clear.

He said: "It just smacks of being a Venus Fly Trap. If they were serious about keeping people off that land they would have a big sign. Everything's set up to catch unsuspecting motorists."

Mr Towers's case was drawn to the attention of Home Office minister Lynne Featherstone by Doncaster Central Labour MP Rosie Winterton during a Commons debate this week.

Ms Featherstone said: "If we want people to comply willingly with parking controls, those controls must be fair and just. The story of the man with the hip replacements seems to show the clampers verging on sadism."

Nobody from Doncaster-based Parkright was available for comment.