Woman trapped in car overnight while wheel clampers sleep

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Caroline Burwood bought a three-hour parking ticket at the Empire Cinema car park in Ealing at 8.30pm and then joined friends at a restaurant.

She returned at midnight to find her Renault Clio clamped. A nearby sign informed motorists that clampers patrolled 24 hours a day and vehicles were liable to be towed away. But Ms Burwood said that when she phoned the clamping centre there was no reply. Police refused to help as it was "a civil matter". Ms Burwood locked herself in the car for the night with three friends. They wrapped up in newspaper to keep warm.

She said they finally got through to the control centre at 7am. At 8.18am the car was released at a cost of £210. "It was after midnight, the car park was poorly lit and cold. I just wanted to get back to my home in Wokingham," she said. "A car drove up with two people high on drugs. They wouldn't leave us alone it was frightening."

David Thompson, London Parking Control manager, said: "We don't have people releasing clamps in the middle of the night because it puts their lives in danger. I don't know why she decided to stay in her car, it's not the nicest car park in the world."