ANGRY motorists blocked in a clamper's car after a row over parking.

The woman clamper had put wheel clamps on three cars even though the drivers said they had valid parking permits.

A crowd of about 15 people gathered to protest and decided to turn the tables - blocking the clamper's car in a parking space and refusing to let her go.

Police were called to the car park behind Capitol House, Churchgate, Bolton, to keep the peace during the incident just after 4pm on Tuesday.

Three employees at the building left work to find they had been wheel clamped by private firm National Clamps, which monitors the car park on behalf of the building's landlord.

All three drivers claimed to have been displaying permits, which cost a total of £1,800 a year.

They were told they would have to pay £80 for the clamps to be removed.

Two of the clamps were put on cars belonging to security firm Duval Security, and a third on the car of Louise Worsley, an administrator for energy consultants Direct Energy Purchasing DEP, which is based in the building.

Duval Security development manager Simon Woolston was so livid two of his firm's cars had been clamped that he parked in front of the clamper's car, barricading her vehicle into a parking space.

He said: "There's no way I'm paying to have these cars released.

"They had their permits on and were parked legally.

"I'm seriously considering suing the clamping company for loss of business because my cars should be on the road. I blocked the clamper in because she deserved to know what it feels like to be unable to drive home, even when you've done nothing wrong."

Mrs Worsley was forced to ask a friend for a lift home two hours after she was clamped.

Her husband, Alan, only just managed to collect the couple's two-year-old son from nursery after rushing to his wife's aid.

Mrs Worsley, of Great Lever, said: "I can't believe this.

"I had my ticket clearly on show.

"My husband only just managed to make it to Nathan's nursery on time.

"There's no way I'm paying this."

At 7pm, Mrs Worsley received a call from a withheld number telling her the clamp had been removed and she would not have to pay the £80.

Clamps were also removed from the Duval Security vehicles without charge.

Mr Woolston then allowed the clamper's car to leave.

Mrs Worsley said: "It was infuriating. What was more annoying was the clamper just walking off and the company didn't give an apology for the way they reacted."

Maria Dabipi, who works next door at financial consultants Berkley St James, received a ticket for previously parking on a neighbouring piece of private land.

She said: "We are all so annoyed. It is good to see them finally getting a dose of their own medicine."

A National Clamps spokesman said: "If these people had their permits on display, they wouldn't have been clamped."