AT least two motorists have fallen victim to clampers in Marlborough this week and had to pay £99 to get their cars released.

County councillor Margaret Boulton said it was disgusting that developer, Village Green, which built the Kelham Gardens estate in London Road, had not waited until talks had taken place with Wiltshire County Council highways officers.

Notices were erected along the Kelham Gardens access road last week warning motorists they could be booked if they parked there.

Letters were sent to local residents warning them that the clampers would be in operation from Monday.

Kelham Gardens is a private development and the road has not yet been adopted by the county council.

After various works requested by the council had been carried out the road is undergoing a one year proving period before adoption as a public highway can take place.

Last week Coun Boulton told the Gazette she had been given an assurance by clamping company, the Security International Group, that no-one would be clamped until a meeting had been held with highways officers.

This week she said she did not believe that the meeting had been held and said she was disgusted that the security firm, presumably at the instruction of Village Green developers, had started clamping cars.

One of the victims was company director Reg Neale, from Brighton, who had popped into the nearby McCarthy Stone development at Churchill Court for an appointment.

He said he had been in Churchill Court for no more than five minutes when he was told about the clamping operation in Kelham Gardens, where he had parked his Mercedes.

Mr Neale went to his car to find a yellow steel clamp on one of the wheels and a notice demanding a £99 release fee on his driver's door window.

Mr Neale said he had not seen the clamping warning notices because they had been fitted high-up on lamp posts.

He said: "I had no choice but to pay up. I did not have the cash and I paid him by credit card."

Despite repeated calls to Village Green Homes and Security International by the Gazette this week no-one from the companies responded.