People began arriving before 5am for the Next sale in Charlestown Road on Saturday and in the stampede some parked in bays reserved for disabled drivers.

But wheel-clampers were ready for them and began handing out £70 fines as owners sought to save money at the tills.

Mother-of-one Sali Scott, of Salendine Nook, got to the store at 5.10am and parked in a disabled space. "I thought because it was that time in the morning it would be fine. Everybody was doing it," she said.

Fifteen minutes later she heard an announcement warning about cars being clamped and ran out of the store to find her car wheel locked.

"I had to drop all my items so I didn't buy anything. I got up at 4.30am for the pleasure of paying a £70 fine," she said.

She had to go to a cash machine at Sainsbury's nearby to get the money. "What a money-making scheme," she added.

Another bargain hunter, Miss V. Wilson, of Greetland, went to Next after dropping off her partner and son for a haircut.

"As usual, it was mayhem so I parked in a parent and toddler bay and when I returned my car had been clamped."

When the clampers threatened to tow her car away, Miss Wilson paid a £70 fine.

"The bargains I went for are no longer bargains. They will all have to be returned to pay for the ticket," she said.

Posters warned shoppers they would be clamped for not using a designated space or leaving the site.

Store manager Dawn Inglis said Next did not own the car park and there were regular announcements in the shop to warn customers.

"It is very hard because obviously they want to get the bargains, but it is not a bargain if you get clamped."

The Wheel Clamping Company were employed by the landowners and were told to police the area from 5am.

Shoppers whose cars were towed away and impounded faced a £135 fine, plus a daily storage charge.

Bill Taylor, West Yorkshire manager of the company, said more than 20 cars were clamped, but 15 released without charge.

"There are not enough parent and toddler bays so people with toddlers were released free of charge."

He said they were asked by Halifax Retail Park Ltd, on behalf of owners Elias Enterprises of Altrincham, to police the site because the last sale brought chaos with drivers parking on the pavement and grass verges.

He said: "There were enough signs down there so it's just rubbish to say people didn't know."

Last year the Evening Courier reported how elderly Margaret Coates' shopping trip turned sour when she was clamped

after her disabled badge fell off the window of her friend's car. Her driver still had to pay £70, even after providing the valid badge.

Clampers working for the police have also locked more than 100 untaxed cars.