A mother is calling for more parent-and-baby parking spaces at an entertainment hot spot after a weekend hunting for a place to park.

Clair Edwards drove to Brighton Marina with her daughters, Sharni, ten, and one-year-old Sofie only to find all the parent-and-baby spaces taken.

She left her children in the car while she ran into the cinema to ask if she could park in an empty disabled space nearby.

Mrs Edwards, of Edward Avenue, Saltdean, said: "They told me it was fine as long as I left a note explaining I was a mother with a baby. I bought tickets, put a note in the windscreen and we went to the cinema.

"Of course, when we came out my car had been clamped.

"I told them I had been told it was fine but it made no difference. I had to pay £85 to get my car back."

Two days later, Mrs Edwards returned to the marina and still could find no empty parent-and-baby spaces.

She said: "I wasn't going to take a chance again so we had to drive up to the sixth floor to park. The lifts have been bricked up so I had to struggle down the stairs with a pushchair.

"The only alternative was walking down the ramps but with young children that is too dangerous.

"I just want to warn other mothers not to park in the disabled spaces.

"There are so many places to take children at the marina yet they only have one row of mother and baby spaces and they are always full. It makes life very difficult for those of us with young children."

Centre manager Neil Gravitt said the marina had been caught out by its own success and asked customers to be patient while refurbishment was completed.

He said: "Two phases of work are planned. The western end of the car park is being redecorated, with work starting this week.

"Later this year, two new lifts will be installed and they should be completed by November. We will then review entirely the parking for disabled people and parents and babies to ensure they will not have far to walk.

"I don't know who told the lady she could park in the disabled place but that is always a no-no. We are legally bound to keep those places for disabled people.

"It is too difficult to police if we start making exceptions."