A MOTORIST has slammed ‘ridiculous’ clampers who targeted his car despite his parking permit being on display.

Mark Alker was shocked to discover his Vauxhall Corsa had been clamped outside his flat at Paddock Top Mews in Colne.

He immediately contacted Lancashire Clamping Company Limited, which is responsible for policing parking within the gated complex.

But he said the worker who answered his call told him his car had been targeted because he had placed the permit on the dashboard and not hung from the rear view mirror as requested by the Preston-based company.

Consequently he had to pay £83 to have the clamp removed, and to add insult to injury, he said a subsequent appeal has been rejected.

The 39-year-old, who has lived in the complex for four years, said the situation was ‘ridiculous’.

He said: “In my Corsa there is a huge block in front of the rear view mirror so if I hang the permit from there it is not visible. It would not be practical to it there because they couldn’t see it and would probably clamp my vehicle.

“Another sting in the tail was that when I rang up to pay the charge with my debit card I had to pay an extra £3 fee.”

Mr Alker, a publisher at Singletrack Magazine in Todmorden, has taken the issue up with Block Property Management, which oversees the day-to-day running of the South Valley complex.

If the firm is not able to help him obtain a refund for the £83 charge, he intends to look into possible legal action.

Lancashire Clamping Company declined to comment.