A motorist said his car was clamped while he was away from it for less than a minute and a half.

Phil Wallen, of Oxeye Court, Greater Leys, Oxford, said he was clamped while he went into the Royal Mail delivery office, at the Nuffield industrial estate, in Littlemore, Oxford, to collect his post. He said he also believed he was legally parked beyond double yellow lines.

He said a notice stating that he had to park in a designated parking bay was in small text on a nearby sign.

Mr Wallen wrote to clamping company Parking Control Management to protest, but his appeal was rejected.

He said: "I'm so angry. The clamping guy must have been sat there watching me. On the sign it says you have to park in the designated bays, but you can't read the notice from the car.

"As far as I'm concerned the vehicle was not illegally parked - that's one argument and the other is that it only took me one minute, 20 seconds."

He claimed: "You go anywhere else in the country and they give you three to four minutes."

Mr Wallen had to pay £120 to get his car released.

He added: "Even if it did warrant a fine, £120 is extortionate. The punishment should fit the crime."

Parking Control Management manager Mark Davis disputed Mr Wallen's claim that he had only been away from his vehicle for a brief time. He said the firm's records showed he was away from his vehicle for 15 minutes, between 9.40am and 9.55am, on June 23. He said: "We have clamped this vehicle simply because he's not allowed to park there. It doesn't matter how long he's away for. It's ridiculous to say the clamp was put on in one minute, 20 seconds. That's not possible.

"The sign clearly states that you have to park in the delivery bays and I have no idea why he parked on the road instead.

"We're members of the British Parking Association and our fee of £120 falls within their guidelines."