GARDAI are investigating an incident during which clampers lifted a car on to a tow truck with two young children inside.

The bizarre incident occurred in Cork city on Saturday when a mother and her two children, returned to their car at around 4pm. It was parked illegally in a loading bay on South Mall in the city.

As the trio arrived, they saw a harness had already been attached to the car.

The children, said to be aged nine and 10, hopped into the car before it was lifted off the ground in the hope of preventing it being towed away.

But the determined clampers went ahead and hoisted the car off the ground, with the two children inside.

A stand-off ensued when the private operators refused to release the car.

Gardai were called and arrived at the scene as a crowd gathered to watch the drama.

The gardai were forced to wait for advice on how to handle the situation as the workers continued to refuse to release the car.

However, the matter was resolved after 45 minutes and the car was returned to its owner without any fine having to be paid.

A garda spokesman said last night that an investigation was under way into the incident.

AA spokesman Conor Faughnan said: "It does seem like a heavy-handed incident.

"You would like to think that common sense and civility would prevail. I am only surprised that this type of incident does not happen more often.

"That said, rules are rules," he added.

Irish Independent