Fareham Borough Council and the police, working with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, targeted known trouble spots across the borough where they had received reports of untaxed or abandoned vehicles.

Any vehicle spotted on a public highway or council-owned property without a valid tax disc was clamped and a penalty notice fixed to its windscreen.

If the fine was not paid within 24 hours, it was put on the back of a flatbed truck and taken to a secure depot.

Twenty-nine vehicles were clamped and one towed away to a secure pound during the operation on August 11 and August 12.

Since then 19 people have paid their fines, bringing in up to £1,800, eight more vehicles have been taken away, and one vehicle was released free of charge.

Fareham district police commander Chief Inspector Steve Wallace said: 'We get regular community complaints about untaxed cars and the anti-social use of vehicles, and have responded as a community safety partnership.

'In an ideal world no-one would need to be caught, but we need to send out the message that you can't get away with this.

'Further operations are planned already.'

But two angry motorists somehow managed to cut the clamps off and drive away.

Ch Insp Wallace added: 'They won't get away with it – they'll get a summons and we have automatic number plate recognition technology to help us catch offenders.'

Councillor Arthur Mandry, who is in charge of public protection, said: 'This was a very worthwhile operation and I believe totally approved of by the general public.

'People are quite concerned about those who don't tax their cars, as it often follows that they haven't got insurance or an MOT, so vehicles like these can be a menace.'

But not all the cars targeted were on their last wheels.

'Some of these vehicles have been '02, '03 and '04 plates, so they're not all old,' Cllr Mandry added.

'In the interest of public safety and public protection it's something worthwhile.'

chris.broom@thenews.co.uk