New laws clamp cowboys

Cowboy wheelclampers face prosecution from today, as a law curbing their activities takes effect.

Under the Private Security Act clampers will not be allowed to operate without a licence. Anyone hiring an unlicensed firm faces an unlimited fine or up to five years in prison. But motoring organisations warned the Act was not watertight.

An RAC spokesman said: “We have had cases of clampers charging release fees of £500. There is nothing to stop that happening.”