SHOPPERS at the Orbital Retail Park who fell victim to car clampers have welcomed plans to send the men on courses to learn manners.

Mother-of-four Jane Puddifoot, who was clamped on Friday afternoon at the retail park in North Swindon, said she was left shocked and terrified by the clampers.

Last week, the Advertiser reported that mum-of-two Cheryl Broley had been clamped in the same area while she called into Boots to buy medicine for her ill daughter.

When she told the clampers she didn't have enough cash to pay the £110 release fee on the spot, they drove away, leaving her stranded with her daughter and her clamped car.

So news that car clampers nationwide will now have to be more human has been met with approval by clamping victims in Swindon.

The courses will be compulsory for the estimated 3,000 clampers in the country.

Firms that do not send their employees on the courses will not be granted a licence and will not be legally allowed to operate.

The clampers will be taught listening techniques, how to be assertive rather than aggressive and the meaning of empathy.

They will also have lessons on communication skills and conflict management.

And Mrs Puddifoot, an occupational therapy assistant who lives in Covingham, believes the clampers have a lot to learn.

She said: "It was very upsetting. I could not believe it when I returned to my car. I think the clampers do have a lot to learn.

"I realise that I was in the wrong but surely there must be a better way of preventing people parking in this area.

"I still feel a little uneasy about returning to the retail park. The whole experience was really rather unpleasant.

"When I returned to my car the first thing I saw was a notice on my windscreen saying 'six months imprisonment or £400 fine' in bold letters.

"I felt very intimidated and the clampers did nothing to ease the process. No words were exchanged and I was still in a state of shock about the whole thing when I handed over my credit card to pay the release fee.

Security International Group, the company clamping cars at the Orbital Retail Park, declined to comment yesterday.

Emma-Kate Lidbury