AN ANGRY mum-of-one has warned diners not to use the customer carpark at a popular restaurant after her friend's vehicle was clamped while the pair had lunch.

Victoria Gartan walked out of Prezzo in South Woodford High Road on Saturday afternoon to find the device attached to new mum Natalie Orna's car.

The pair were then confronted by a team of clampers who demanded a £125 release fee - despite the fact the car was parked in a designated customer bay and had a Prezzo parking voucher displayed inside.

Ms Gartan, of Forest Rise, Snaresbrook, pointed this out to the men, and showed them receipts to prove the pair were customers - but claims they rudely ignored her, warning that she faced a further £50 fee if she refused to pay up immediately in cash.

Worried that the clampers might be conmen the 34-year-old called the police for advice but claims they offered no help at all.

Ms Gartan eventually paid the fine but has since appealed against it to clamping firm CCPM - which has a contract with Prezzo to operate in the carpark.

She said: "The fact that we had my friend's four-week-old baby with us and a new mother who was clearly distressed did not seem to matter to these two men.

"They said they wanted cash or weren't going to release the car and if we kept them waiting it would go up by £50.

"Woodford police didn't want to know and wouldn't come out.

"I went back into Prezzo restaurant and conveniently the staff didn't want to know even though we had been dining in their restaurant and parked in their bay.

"We were appalled by the way the staff refused to be of any help and also that the police wouldn't help us."

Ms Gartan was so upset by the way she was treated that she has vowed never to eat in Prezzo again - and warned others not to use the carpark.

She said: "Another driver in the bay next to us was also clamped at the same time.

"I want to warn people not to leave their cars their unless the same thing happens to them."

A spokesman for Prezzos said that their signage was very clear and insisted that they do not profit from the clamping.

He added: "If customers park in these spaces and do not follow the correct procedures then they are at fault rather than our restaurant staff.

In this particular case, it would appear that the customer concerned did not follow these procedures.

Given that the system is relatively new, we will continue to appraise this situation, but as far as we are aware the system is working satisfactorily and to the advantage for the majority of our customers who use these parking bays and follow the procedures correctly.

CCPM have yet to comment.