Car clampers have been branded a disgrace after accepting Marks & Spencer vouchers from two pensioners to release their car.

Eighty year-old Winifred O'Hara and her friend Pauline Brotherton, 61, handed over the two £10 vouchers as part payment of the £35 fine.

They offered the vouchers rather than having to go and get cash to secure the release of Mrs O'Hara's Ford Ka from Haworth's Changegate car park.

"I actually offered them as a joke because we didn't have enough money between us," said Mrs Brotherton, of Wibsey.

"But without any hesitation the man said 'yes' and took them. I was amazed - I even laughed - but it was a disgraceful thing to do. I said I'm sure God will forgive you because it's hard for us to do so."

Mrs Brotherton and Mrs O'Hara said they returned to the Carstoppers car park in Haworth, on Monday, just three minutes later than the 4.34pm they were due back.

But when the attendant made out the fixed penalty ticket he put a time of 4.49pm, making them 15 minutes late.

Mrs O'Hara, a widow, of Shipley, said: "That was very unfair. I think he deliberately dilly-dallied to let the time elapse before he made it out so it would show we were 15 minutes late."

She said she had urged the attendant not to clamp them because they were only two or three minutes late. And they had a witness to support them.

"The man just said 'you are over the limit and you can't take the car without paying the money'. It was £35. I had just £10 and some change and Pauline said she had the two vouchers. I managed to find £5 in loose change and he accepted them.

"He gave us a receipt for the £15 in cash and two M&S vouchers," she added.

Ted Evans, who owns the car park, said the vouchers had been taken instead of money.

"The people had just £15 in cash between them and no credit cards or cheque book, so the men said they would accept the vouchers. They were obliging more than anything else," he said.

"At first the men refused to take the vouchers but the two women asked if they would take them because they wanted to get away as quickly as possible and they would have had to go for some money."

The clamp was locked at 4.49pm, 15 minutes over the time they were due back, he added.