ANGRY neighbours have blasted the clamping of a meals-on-wheels van as it delivered food to vulnerable adults at a Poole sheltered housing complex.

Neighbour Rob McDonald, says vehicles belonging to carers, nurses, takeaway delivery drivers and even an engineer visiting to mend wheelchairs have succumbed to the dreaded metal boot in recent weeks.

But he described Wednesday’s meals-on-wheels clamping as “particularly over zealous.”

Meanwhile, the operations director of Agincare home cuisine, Mark Baker, said he was “flabbergasted” when he discovered Patrol Plus had clamped one of his vans.

“I had this guy on the phone demanding £125 for the vehicle’s release, so the driver could complete their round. It felt like blackmail,” he said.

“I wanted to make sure he fully understood he was holding up the meals for vulnerable adults in the community.

“Some of these people have dementia, some have diabetes and need to have food with their medication at specific times. This could have proved detrimental to their health.”

Mr McDonald, of Avenel Way – the former chairman of the Poole Quarter Residents Association – photographed the clamped van at 11.45am. Mr Baker thinks it was this pressure from angry neighbours which eventually persuaded Patrol Plus to remove the clamp for free.

Mr McDonald said: “We’ve been plagued by parking problems and this clamping company started operating last November to get things under control. But many residents now feel they are unacceptably out-of-control.”

The Agincare van was delivering to Delphis Court which is operated by Synergy Housing.

Synergy Housing thought it inappropriate to comment.

Borough of Poole’s transport policy manager Chris Francombe said: “The council will be taking over some more of these roads and parking areas in the next few weeks, and we will not be clamping vehicles.”

Poole-based Patrol Plus, responded to our request for contact with an e-mail stating: “You may wish to contact Agincare Cuisine Ltd as we understand their people are being told to park on the double yellow lines by Synergy Housing rather than use the designated two hour no return one hour bays.”