A DRIVER has told how his car was seized by police for not being insured - although he renewed his policy the same day.

Alan Morris (pictured), 33, says he has the paperwork to prove his insurance was renewed, but must pay £105 to get his car back on the road.

He was driving near his home in Basten Drive, Higher Broughton, when he was pulled over by police.

"I was amazed when they told me to hand over my keys," he said. "They insisted I was driving without insurance and took my car away, even though I told them I was insured and had renewed my policy that very day.

"I've been to the police station to get the car back, but they say I'll still have to pay £105 to get it released,"

It is believed they had checked his registration on a computer database, which told them he was uninsured. But he says his policy had been renewed that morning.

He says he asked police to call his insurance company, but was told by an officer: "If I did that every time I stopped someone, I'd never get anywhere."

The M.E.N reported in February how another motorist was considering legal action after his car was crushed by police who wrongly accused him of driving without insurance.

Law-abiding

GMP's Chief Insp Karen Jameson said: "Vehicles are seized to protect law-abiding motorists, as uninsured drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, increasing premiums for everyone. They're also more likely to have been convicted of drink-driving, driving unroadworthy vehicles and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

"Insurance is checked by officers using the Motor Insurance Bureau database.

"On this occasion, the system hadn't been updated and the driver was unable to provide proof of insurance.

"The vehicle was then seized until the driver could prove he was insured. If it is found he was insured, fees can be refunded and the car returned.

"It is not our intention to inconvenience law-abiding drivers, but checks are necessary to make roads safer."

Greater Manchester Police said it had seized 19,598 vehicles for having no insurance or licence, but officers were shown to have acted reasonably and lawfully in all but two cases.