ILLEGAL car clampers have been operating in Swindon.

Members of the Swindon Royal British Legion Corps were targeted at the weekend at the council-owned Central Community Centre in Emlyn Square.

And the clampers only released four of their cars after their owners said they would be calling in the Evening Advertiser.

Now other drivers are being warned to watch out for them.

The incident happened on Sunday after four Legion members parked their vehicles in the car park of the community centre.

The cars were released after a two-hour stand off when pensioner Sid Morley told the clampers that he would be calling in the Evening Advertiser.

Mr Morley, 65, who lives at Highworth Road, Stratton, had argued that the four drivers had had permission to park and the site was not subject to clamping anyway.

He said: " I knew we were in the right. We had permission to park there and the club told us that no-one had authority to clamp us.

"I would like to know if any other people were caught like us. I am very annoyed because we were virtually held against our wishes for two hours."

The clampers who said they were from The Security International Group had refused to release the vehicles unless each of the drivers handed over a £60 penalty payment.

The police were called to the scene but they said they had no authority to get involved in the dispute because it was on private property.

Swindon Council spokeswoman Linda Fleming said that wheel clamping should not take place on the site.

She said: "The council does not do wheel clamping or authorise anyone else to do it for us."

The clampers had driven to the car park in a small unmarked grey car and had issued penalty tickets which warned that unless a £60 penalty was paid the vehicle would be towed away. The ticket included the telephone number 08705 673321.

When the Evening Advertiser telephoned this number a woman told us that the only person who could discuss the matter was managing director Clive Deacon but he was out for the rest of the day.

Acting Inspector Paul Mundy of Swindon police said that clamping usually took place on private property and unless there was a breach of the peace or criminal damage the police could not get involved.

However, if it was reported to the police that there was the possibility of a criminal offence having taken place then they would investigate.