A clamping firm was forced to refund a motorist �250 after it clamped his car on a public highway.

Abid Mohammed, 38, was parked on a single yellow line in Frinton Mews, Gants Hill, on Thursday when clampers �Securak struck at 1pm. He protested and rang the police who told Mr �Mohammed the firm was acting within the law.

But a council street �warden, who saw the clamping, told Securak the part of the road where the car was parked was a public one.

Securak then refunded the credit card used to make the original payment.

Mr Mohammed, who works for Exchange Property Services in Cranbrook Road, Gants Hill, said: “As soon as they clamped me they called the tow truck, even though there was someone from the council there telling them it was a public highway. They were proper bullies.”

Head of enforcement at �Securak, Andrew Martin, said there had previously been some confusion over who controlled that part the street.

He added: “Redbridge Council told me one year ago that it wasn’t public, but when the street warden rang me and told me it was definitely a public highway I �refunded the credit card that made the payment.

“We didn’t do anything illegal intentionally, and we put it right straight away.

“The council painted the yellow lines afterwards.”

He said the council have failed to act on cars in the road blocking in his clients.

Mr Mohammed encouraged other drivers who have been caught in the same spot to ask for a refund: “Over the past few years umpteen people must have been caught out by this racket.”

A spokesman for Redbridge Council confirmed that the yellow lines, which were visible before, had been repainted since Thursday.

He said: “We would remind residents that private clampers have no jurisdiction on council-owned roads and any fees or fines that are not from the authority should be challenged appropriately.”