A MOTORIST fined £80 for parking outside a movie rental shop he has used for the past six years has warned others not to fall into the same trap.

David Brannigan arrived at the Blockbuster branch in Bolton Road, Bury, at 7.30pm on September 22 to rent a film and pick-up an order from a takeaway next door.

The 41-year-old project manager came out of the shop to find a team of private parking enforcers clamping his Ford Fiesta and he had to pay £80 on the spot to get the clamp removed.

After formally appealing against the fee and cancelling his Blockbuster membership, Mr Brannigan now wants to make other drivers aware of parking restrictions being enforced there.

“Anyone arriving at the car park at the front of the shop would assume that the seven or so parking spaces are for Blockbuster customers, but they are private places,” said Mr Brannigan, who lives in Somerton Road, Bradley Fold.

He explained: “We have been getting DVDs from the store for six years and nothing like this has ever happened before.

“We were in the store for about 15 minutes and then nipped next door to Domino’s to collect our pre-ordered pizza and as we returned to our car, I noticed three men around my vehicle.

“The sign was 15ft above ground level and could not clearly be seen in dim light.

“I was fortunate to have the cash available as this was taken out earlier in the day to pay for my son’s driving test and lessons the following day. We feel we are victims of this highly lucrative business.”

The company that issued the £80 penalty was a Preston-based firm National Clamps.

A spokesman said: “We were employed by the landowner to enforce parking restrictions on the site. Signs are high up to prevent vandalism, but we adhere to strict protocol about signage display.

“People are entitled to appeal and we will consider each case on its merits.”

Blockbuster were contacted for a comment, but did not reply.

l From this week, it is illegal for anyone to clamp a car on private land and the National Clamps spokesman said he hoped switching to fixed-penalty notices would make the enforcement procedure fairer to motorists.