After eight months of gaining advice from solicitors and sending letters, Cherie Robertson has finally been given her money back.

Mrs Robertson (48) of Steels Lane had parked in the station car park in September last year in an area which displayed no signs warning it was a clamping zone.

She went into the station for only five minutes to buy a train ticket to travel to London the next day, and her car was clamped.

But now she has had the £100 she paid to release the clamp returned.

She said: "I was shocked when I saw the clamp because I had left my car for less than five minutes. I had just bought a ticket and came straight back.

"I had no idea I would be clamped. I saw the sign only when I walked past the taxi office towards Waitrose to get the money out.

"I felt upset I was going to take out £100 and give it to somebody else straight away."

She said the clamper agreed with her it was in an area devoid of warning signs and was told if she sent a letter to the company explaining that she would be refunded, but that she had to pay up on the spot because it had already been registered.

Sending letters with photographs of where she parked to the company's address in Havant did not work, as two recorded deliveries failed to arrive. It was not until January the first letter was returned to her.

The determined part-time student then took up the matter with a solicitor, who advised her to get in contact with the police.

Without any luck from the police she turned her attentions to the British Transport Police, who pursued it on her behalf.

With help from the BTP and Southern Rail, which employs the clamper, she eventually got the refund.

She said: "I am just happy I have got the money back. It has taught me to stand up for my rights of British justice.

"I was expecting the refund. They were getting a lot of bad publicity from other people this had happened to.

"I hope that other people will also write to the BT Police and claim their money back."


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