A NUMBER of Teesdale motorists have had their vehicles clamped as part of a national crackdown on tax disc evasion.

In a joint operation between the DVLA, police and traffic wardens, ten vehicles in the dale were discovered without a valid tax disc, leading to them being clamped at the roadside on Wednesday of last week.

Their drivers faced a charge of £80 to have the clamp released, plus a surety payment of £120.

This is returnable only on production of a valid excise licence, a spokesman for the DLVA confirmed.

"If the vehicle is not claimed within 24 hours it is then impounded, with the release fee rising to a total of £280, plus £15 for every day it is left there," she added.

"Any vehicle remaining unclaimed after 14 days will be crushed."

Insp Kevin Tuck of Barnard Castle police said: "We work in partnership with a number of agencies, and together we've been looking at vehicles across Teesdale.

"The message has to be that if you are going to have a vehicle it has to be roadworthy and legal or you run the risk of having it clamped or taken away."

Insp Tuck reported one instance of a clamp being freed from a vehicle and investigations into its removal are now taking place.