MOTORIST Kay Readman had her car towed away from her home by a parking firm which then charged her £358 — and told her it had been left outside a DIY store.

Miss Readman thought her Rover 25 had been stolen when she returned to her flat in All Hallows Court, St David's, after a night shift to find her parking space empty.

But when she alerted police she was told the vehicle had been towed by Premier Park Ltd, the company which enforces parking regulations at the city council-owned development.

The 51-year-old called them and was told she would have to pay £358 to get her vehicle back. It had been clamped, then towed, because a permit had slipped on the dashboard and the expiry date was not visible.

When she paid the amount requested Miss Readman says she was told the car would be returned to her within two hours.

Instead she received a phone call telling her it had been left in the car park of the B&Q shop in Alphington Road.

Miss Readman says the company breached industry regulations which stipulate that towing is a last resort and should only be used when a car is causing an obstruction.

She is also calling on Exeter City Council to review its use of the firm.

"I do admit that the permit had slipped but it was clear I had one," the university security officer said.

"I would have accepted it if the car had been clamped but to tow it away seems completely over the top."

Miss Readman has said she will try and get her money back through the civil courts and has written to the city council complaining about its use of Premier Park Ltd.

She says she had no way of knowing her car had initially been clamped and was in danger of being towed away on the night in question, Sunday, August 22.

She also questions whether Premier Park was authorised to use the B&Q car park as a pound for removed vehicles.

The city council wrote back to her saying she could appeal to Premier Park for a refund. It also explained that Government legislation was due to ban private clamping.

"Unfortunately the actions of some rogue and unscrupulous clamping firms have given the whole industry a bad name, which has lead to the recent government proposals," Phil Mills, the tenant services manager said.

"Exeter City Council is very aware of how contentious an issue car clamping has become and therefore we monitor the work of Premier Park on our sites very closely."

Regulatory body the British Parking Association's code of conduct says that removal of a vehicle may be appropriate only if the driver has on three or more occasions parked without authority at that location, the landowner has instructed the operator to remove unauthorised vehicles or the safety of the public is at risk because of the unauthorised parking.

No-one from Premier Park was answering the company's telephone yesterday, but on its website it said its tow away and removal service could be used "by both private and public sector clients for the removal and storage of unauthorised, untaxed and 'dumped' vehicles".

A city council spokesman said the authority is investigating the complaint with the company.

No-one at B&Q was available to comment.