A FRUSTRATED motor-ist whose car was towed after being moved to safety by police has hit out at the Highways Agency.

Eric Bubb’s car broke down on Sunday night on the A35 Dorchester bypass as he drove back from his work as a commis chef at the Olympic Village site on Portland .

The 59-year-old, who lives in Spetisbury near Blandford, was grateful to police officers who came to his aid and helped him move the car out of the carriageway and put warning signs up around the vehicle before one even gave him a lift home.

He said they informed him the car would be fine there for two to three days but he should move it as soon as he could.

Mr Bubb said he arranged with a Dorchester garage to get a taxi there and then come out and pick up the vehicle the following day but was stunned when he arrived to find his Citroen C1 had gone.

He said: “It was arranged that I would get a taxi to the garage and from there go out to get my car, which was left about 300 metres from the Kingston Maurward roundabout.

“When we got there my car was missing.”

Mr Bubb ended up having to pay £150 to get the vehicle released from the company that had towed it away and he was determined to challenge the Highways Agency for towing the vehicle.

He also ended up having to pay £40 to get back from Dorchester without his car as well as being charged by the garage for the aborted trip to pick the vehicle up from where it had broken down.

Mr Bubb said: “It’s all been very frustrating because it was parked quite safely on the side of the road in a position approved by Dorset Police and the Highways Agency had it towed.

“It’s just daylight robbery, they have stolen my car and held it for ransom.”

Mr Bubb said one agency he did not have any complaints about concerning the incident was Dorset Police, who he said had been helpful throughout.

He said: “I have got no complaints about Dorset Police whatsoever, they have been absolutely wonderful.”

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said they were unable to comment on particular cases, particularly where there was a dispute, but the organisation’s towing policy was published on its website highways.gov.uk