A young mother whose car was clamped as she was taking her poorly son to hospital was told to “call an ambulance, if your son is that ill.”

Hayley Saunders, 18, a single mum living at Papermill Close, Carshalton, had her car park permit on display in the windscreen, but it had fallen on the car floor.

Clampers on behalf of Croydon Peoples Housing Association, which owns the property, clamped the car which was parked in an allocated bay.

Her three-month-old baby, George, was unwell and needed medical attention and Miss Saunders decided she would take him to hospital, but she said she could not afford the bus fares or take a cab.

She phoned the housing association and was told to 'call an ambulance' if her son was that sick.

Miss Saunders said she had a permit and showed it to the person who clamped her car, but they told her she would have to pay £250 to have it unclamped and there was nothing else they could do.

She said: “I need my car to take my son to hospital and I can’t use it now. I’m a single mum on benefits and I can’t afford to pay £250.”

A spokeswoman for the housing association said: “If her son is that ill she should call an ambulance. I have to go through all the channels to see if I can get her car unclamped - I can’t just snap my fingers and make it happen.”

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