FIVE motorists who had their cars clamped in Farnham station car park have received full refunds after confusion over parking charges.

The five were clamped for not paying to park at the station, having seen a sign which said parking was free on Saturdays.

Angry motorists were eventually given back their £50 fees to have the clamps removed after South West Trains realised they had made a mistake.

Although there is a Saturday charge, it is only mentioned on signs above pay and display machines and on another sign 20 yards from the entrance.

But upon entering the car park motorists see a sign stating that Saturday parking is free.

Last Saturday there were angry scenes as drivers returned to their clamped cars.

"There were some pretty mad people out there - some of them were fuming," said Larry Freeman, retail manager of Farnham Tyres and Exhaust, which backs onto the car park.

"One guy was so angry he took a photograph of the sign next to a copy of that day's paper to prove the sign was still up on that day. He also reported the incident to the police.

"I was speaking to the clamper first thing in the morning and he was saying it was his lucky day because he'd already clamped five cars.

"He never went far from the car park all day. He was positioned at the top of the hill and as soon as people parked their cars he would come down and clamp them."

But the clamping firm used by South West Trains, International Security, says it released the clamps and, after discussions with South West Trains, gave refunds.

"By the late morning/early afternoon I ordered the operatives to suspend action," said managing director, Clive Deacon.

"We will not be patrolling the car park until the sign is corrected and I have ordered my patrol officer to put a line through where it says Saturdays are free."

South West Trains, which leases the car park from Railtrack, has admitted it made a mistake with the sign and apologised to clamping victims.

"We've always had charges Monday-to-Saturday but we had to put up posters to inform people about recent price rises. Unfortunately one of the posters said parking was free. All other signs are correct," said spokesman, Alison Flynn.

"When we realised what was happening on Saturday one of our area managers insisted the cars were released free of charge.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused and we're treating the correction of the sign as a matter of urgency."

The incorrect sign was still there on Tuesday morning.