FED-UP motorists in Stockton say they are sick of ruthless wheel-clampers targeting their cars.

In recent weeks numerous drivers have contacted Stockton Borough Council's town centre manager, Geraint Williams, to protest at the heavy-handed way wheel clamping firms are dealing with parked cars.

Motorists in one particular black-spot, St Mark's Court south of the river, say several cars have been clamped just seconds after the driver has left the vehicle.

Angry drivers say the road has no yellow lines and signs warning motorists about wheel clamping are too small and often facing the pavement.

Samantha Nicholls, 22, who works at the nearby University of Durham Stockton campus, said she was charged £75 to have a clamp removed from her car after parking in St Mark's Court last week.

She said: "I have been parking there on and off for the last 12 months because there are no signs there saying you can't.

"But last week I was clamped in the few minutes it took me to walk from my car, over the bridge into Stockton, and back again.

"I was furious because the signs, such as they were, were tiny and half way up a lamppost. I defy any motorist to see these signs when they're trying to park their car.

"On a street with many lamp and sign posts, only two had these tiny signs.

"I wouldn't mind if there were large signs which I chose to ignore, but to pay £75 for failing to spot a little sign half way up a lamppost is tantamount to extortion. It's a licence to print money."

Developers Terrace Hills, which owns St Mark's Court, commissioned Castlebank Security Services to carry out the clamping.

It wanted to stop cars parking in the road because they obstructed access to one of its building sites.

Philip Leech, a company director, said: "We have received some complaints about the clamping. We have just started building a new office and there is a lot of construction traffic so we wanted to deter people parking there.

"It wasn't meant to be a trap - we were just interested in the health and safety aspect."

Following the complaints Terrace Hill has installed more signs in more visible locations.