A DUMBFOUNDED mum is in a war of words with the Royal British Legion after her car was wheel clamped.

Mother-of-three Lucia Muschallik claims her daughter was inside the car when it was clamped in the club's car park in Common Road, Flackwell Heath.

But the branch is adamant that her daughter had left the car when the clamper struck and asked for a £50 release fee.

The two parties have been locked in dispute since the clamping in November.

Mrs Muschallik, of Brent Road, Bourne End, said she was wrong to park in the private members area, but was fuming when the man carried on clamping while she and her daughter had to stand and watch.

She said: "I only nipped out for a minute and the clamper must have seen my daughter sitting in the car.

"We both ended up stood by the car watching him putting it on. It was like he had been laying in wait.

"It didn't matter what we said he just said 'it's £50 to get it released.' I just felt so upset by the whole thing."

The branch say the car park was being misused and its members, many of them elderly, need access throughout the day.

The branch manager, who does want to be named, said: "The woman was at fault. The committee looked at it and still agreed that she was in the wrong."

He said the parking supervisor insisted the car was not occupied when it was clamped.

He said: "I cannot understand why people are not prepared to pay 25 pence or whatever to buy a parking ticket. There are plenty of parking tickets elsewhere.

"We have huge signs up telling people they will be fined £50 if they park there."