A charity worker has thanked the Oxford Mail for helping her to get her clamped car released free of charge.

Marie Smith, the manager of the Age Concern shop in Templars Square shopping centre, Oxford, had gone in on her day off with some donations and to help out for an hour when her car was clamped at the store's back door.

The 53-year-old, who takes home just £750 a month, faced a £120 charge to have the clamp removed, plus another £400 if the car was towed away.

She said: "I haven't got £120 to pay. I'm a charity worker, and then they were saying they were going to tow it."

Staff from Parking Control Management (PCM), who are paid to patrol the loading bays at Templars Square, refused to remove the clamp until a reporter and a photographer from the Oxford Mail arrived on the scene three hours later.

Mrs Smith, of Sutton Courtenay, believes the company relented because they were worried about the adverse publicity. She said: "It is only because the Oxford Mail got involved. There is no other reason that they would take it off. So all I can say is thank you very much."

Mrs Smith said she had parked in the restricted area because she needed to unload donations from the boot of her car, which shopkeepers are permitted to do if they get the correct permit from the shopping centre's main office.

After more than an hour, during which time she had done some paperwork in the shop's back room, Mrs Smith said she was on her way to get a permit when she was clamped.

She said: "I tried to explain that was what I was doing but they weren't having any of it. I appreciate that they are doing their job but they are just being over zealous and there is no leeway. I just haven't got £120."

Nobody from PCM's head office in Slough would comment, but one of the clampers at the scene, who would only give his name as Mr Jakeman, said he had first spotted the car at 7.55am and had given the owner 20 minutes to return.

He said he had clamped the car because the engine had been cold, the boot had not been open, and he had not been able to see anybody loading into any of the shops. But, after releasing the vehicle free of charge, he said: "The lady was adamant that she did not have any money, she was sobbing her eyes out, so we thought it would be best to release her. But we have warned her to not park there in the future. She has worked there for so many years, she should know the rules."

Wendy White, centre manager at Templars Square, said parking restrictions were in force to stop drivers blocking up the loading areas, and said the matter was between Mrs Smith and PCM.