CAR-CLAMPERS cracking down on unauthorised parking in Watford town centre could themselves be breaking the law by operating without a licence.

Lloyds Parking Services, of Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex, patrols the private car parks of a number of town centre companies, including Rennie and Co, The Royal Bank of Scotland, The Red Bar and the Hogwash public house.

The company has been criticised by frustrated motorists, who claim their cars have been clamped and towed away in a matter of minutes, they have been charged excessive release fees, have been intimidated by clamping crews and cars have been damaged on removal.

Police say the car-clampers had been causing hysteria in the town, and officers have been inundated with calls about them in the past three weeks.

However, on Tuesday, it transpired the company may not have the authority to tow vehicles away because the Department of Transport, Environment and the Regions has no record of Lloyds Parking Services holding a goods vehicle operator's licence, which it would need in order to transport the vehicles on the public highway.

A spokesman for The Vehicle Inspectorate explained: 'Under the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995, any vehicle in excess of 3,500kg gross vehicle weight the sort of vehicle needed to remove cars in the manner used, which is used in connection with a trade or business, needs to be authorised by holding an operator licence. Any operators that fail to hold one of these licences is, therefore, breaking the law.'

Mrs Pamela Parmar, of north Watford, was one of the many motorists angered by Lloyds Parking Services.

She was forced to pay £265 when her BMW was towed from the car park behind the Hogwash in The Parade.

Mrs Parmar said: 'The four men who towed my car refused to tell me where they had taken it, or even what time they had towed it.'

Mr Paul Youens, 19, of Melbourne Road, Bushey, said he had a similar experience when his Ford Escort was towed away just 30 minutes after he had parked it.

Mr Youens, like many other victims of the clampers, telephoned the number printed on the signs displayed at the private car parks but he was told he could not speak to anyone until the following day.

He said: 'They wouldn't tell me where my car was or anything else until I agreed to pay £265 either over the phone, by Visa, or at Bushey breakers yard, by cash.'

Miss Sarah Hay, a single mother-of-two, of Jubilee Road, Watford, complained that, on collection of her car the next day, a notice fixed to her windscreen confirmed that clamping had taken place at 8.35pm, with a registration number that did not correspond with her car.

Miss Hay said: 'I parked my car at 8.30pm. It would seem that it was clamped in the space of just five minutes. I believe these people were waiting nearby for me to leave my car.'

A spokesman for estate agents Rennie & Co said: 'We are not aware this company are in anyway illegitimate.

'The issue of unauthorised cars using our car park has posed a problem for us and the The Royal Bank of Scotland for some time.

'As far as we are concerned, Lloyds Parking Services has managed to control this situation.'

As well as motorists compalining about damage to vehicles, the police confirmed one vehicle rolled off the back of a truck while in transit.

A spokesman for Watford police said: 'We were more than aware of the parking hysteria this company has impacted upon Watford but were unable to act because there was no solid evidence of any criminal offence.'

Police say they will now be working with the Vehicle Inspectorate to investigate the claims.

Director of Lloyds Parking Services Mr Roger Bolton refused to confirm or deny claims he is operating without a goods vehicle operators licence.

Mr Bolton said: 'Publish and be damned.'