A MAN who went to fetch cash to pay a £100 release fee after his son's car was clamped in Dorchester - was then clamped himself.

Peter Holland's own car was clamped in Somerleigh Road as he walked to a cashpoint to get the money to have his son Benjamin's car released - and he had to pay a second £100 fee.

Mr Holland, 64, said: "How low can you stoop? It's just dreadful.

"When we returned and I paid the £100 for my son's clamped car, the security woman pointed to the clamp on my car that had been attached in my absence.

"There was no warning and nothing was said about me being liable to be fined as my car was in the wrong place. Naturally I remonstrated with them, but it was all to no avail and I had to pay another hefty fine of one hundred quid."

Mr Holland, who lives in Stratton, near Dorchester, had gone to help his son Benjamin, 25, who did not have the money to pay a release fee of £100 after he was clamped for parking in the private road at 11.30pm.

He said: "There was a sign on the road saying 'private road' at the junction with Prince's Road, but it was not illuminated and could be easily missed at night by a car driver.

"In addition, there are some signs in the road itself telling the driver it is private, but again they are written in small lettering, not illuminated at all and not in the usual place you expect to see them."

He said the wardens had refused to accept payment by cheque despite him having a guarantee card.

Somerleigh Road has a history of clamping incidents since the Wessex Management employed Car Park Security to police parking in the area.

In June 2004 Dorchester resident Andrew Gallimore told clampers they could keep his £150 Vauxhall Nova after they demanded a £350 release fee.

In March 2004 a four-year-old girl watched as the car she was sitting in was clamped by wardens and a Royal Mail delivery van was immobilised while the driver was on a delivery.

In the same month a 40-tonne lorry was also clamped.

Car Park Security training and development manger Ricki Oliver said: "We have been clamping in that road for two years, it's a well known clamping area.

"If you belittle and ridicule a member of staff and leave your vehicle there you are asking for it. As far as we're concerned he had that coming."