Camden made me go home to Sussex to collect my I.D.

The solicitor parked on a single yellow line, convinced that was allowed as it was a Sunday, while he and 15-year-old Michael enjoyed a stroll around Camden Market. But when they returned, the pair found the Peugeot had vanished, towed away to the Camden council pound.

Mr Simon and his son walked to the pound in Kentish Town, hoping to pay the £260 release fee so they could return home to Shoreham in West Sussex, 65 miles away, so Michael could do his homework.

But despite the single father having his car keys, the attendants refused to let him drive off unless he also produced a driving licence or passport and documents confirming his address and that the Peugeot was registered there.

"Why would I have all that documentation? We are not a police state and I don't have to carry identification," said Mr Simon. "I explained I lived a long way away and had my credit card, knew the registration number and had the keys but none of that cut any ice. I asked to speak to a supervisor but was told they would give the same answer."

Even the help of two police officers, who verified Mr Simon's identity on their computer and gave the information to pound officials with a request that the car be released, had no effect.

"They said they wouldn't release my car unless the police put a stamp on the papers but the police did not have a stamp," said the solicitor. "They were furious but the officials wouldn't listen."

Mr Simon and Michael had no option but to walk to Kentish Town Tube and pay £25 for two Underground journeys to Victoria station and a train back to Shoreham. Once there, they still had another 15-minute walk home.

After helping his son complete his homework, Mr Simon caught a train back to London that evening armed with the "correct" paperwork and finally managed to retrieve the car, which belongs to his daughter.

He then drove back to Shoreham, finally arriving home 10 hours after the pair had set off. "It was a nightmare," he said. "All I wanted was for my son to enjoy a nice day out in Camden. Who else but the owner would know my car had been towed, know its registration and have the key to start it and offer to pay £260?

"It was an awful day. I complained and simply received a patronising letter. I am now suing."

Paul Watters of the AA said: "Treating people like this further tarnishes the image of parking enforcement in London. The 'rules are rules' approach is outdated. To pile on the agony unnecessarily after the car has been towed away is pouring salt into the wound. "

A Camden spokesman said: "We are aware that not everybody carries their vehicle ownership or personal ID but we require these documents for our customer security as we recover stolen vehicles on a daily basis.

"Coming to the car pound with just car keys does not mean you own the car. In the case of Mr Simon we did our best to co-operate fully with both him and the police officers present on the day."