A solicitor has won back the cost of a parking fine - because he was not warned his car would be clamped.

Bernard Clayton's car was clamped after a court case he was attending over ran.

He had to pay �38 for his car to be released from the Manchester city centre car park.

But a watchdog has ordered the council to pay back the fine because it had not clearly highlighted its clamping policy.

'Ticket expected'

The National Parking Adjudication Authority said the council had not given sufficient warning to motorists.

Mr Clayton, 52, from Salford, said: "I was visiting Manchester County Court and I parked my car in the car park in Bridge Street, and my case ran over by about one hour and 20 minutes.

"I was fully expecting a parking ticket, but what I didn't expect, however, was to find my vehicle clamped.

"I questioned a warden who was walking around the car park and he told me vehicles would be clamped if they are parked over the time shown on the ticket.

"I asked the warden to show me where the clamping information was and he was unable to show it to me.

"I'm delighted that the view that I took from the outset has been proved to be the correct view, which is I should have known that I would be clamped if I returned late before I left my car.

"I would question why it is that a local authority does not like making it clear that clamping will be used in these circumstances."

He advised anyone to go through the appeals process if they are in the same position.

Manchester City Council insisted signs were in place advising about clamping at Bridge Street car park.

But it said it failed to include this information within its submission to the tribunal.