Town hall bailiffs will soon have "vicious" new powers to smash down the doors of people who owe parking fines or council tax, the Tories have warned.

The claim came as they released figures showing councils called bailiffs in more than 40,000 times across the West last year.

The party says there is already growing concern about bullying bailiffs, citing one case that led to a man's death, and another where bunglers changed the locks of the wrong house.

Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps says worse is to come, as the Government is giving bailiffs new powers during the recession.

He says they are to be allowed to break down people's doors under a new power of forced entry to collect civil debts, such as parking tickets, council tax and congestion charge fees.

At the moment they can only enter a home if they are invited in, or if a door or window is left open, but the new rules will come into effect later this year.

The statistics show just how much the tough new regulations could be used, as town halls sent bailiffs out to collect council tax debts 1.3 million times last year, and business rates on 100,000 occasions. This included more than 40,000 council tax cases in the West, including 10,804 in Bristol, 5,700 in North Somerset, 5,364 in Swindon, 3,582 in South Gloucestershire and 2,801 in Bath & North East Somerset. Bailiffs went out to collect business rates more than 3,000 times, including 1,209 in Bristol, 278 in South Gloucestershire and 260 in North Somerset.

Mr Shapps said the law would allow bailiffs to use "reasonable force to enter premises, and if the householder was out they could break in as long as they left the premises effectively secured".

Guidance on the use of forced entry powers notes it counts as "reasonable" to "break open the door, but probably not to smash a hole in the wall".

It continues: "If the person attempts to shut the door, it may be reasonable to put your foot in the door."

Justification for forced entry includes believing the offender is in due to movement of a curtain or hearing a TV or radio, or even if a neighbour says the suspect is home.

And bailiffs are allowed to use handcuffs to detain a resident if they feel at risk, "such as if a homeowner tries to defend their home and family as their door is smashed open", Mr Shapps said.

He added: "People must take personal responsibility for their debts and councils have a duty to collect council tax – but these laws pass the boundary of what is acceptable in a civilised society. This is state-sponsored home invasion and intimidation. The fact Gordon Brown is passing these laws speaks volumes about his lack of sympathy for struggling families.

"I fear innocent, hard-working families and pensioners face having their door smashing down by bailiff thugs because of an unpaid parking ticket, or if they are struggling to pay bills during the recession. These vicious powers for bailiffs will take state intrusion to an unprecedented new level and wipe out hundreds of years of common law rights and liberties."

No one from the Ministry of Justice responded to the Western Daily Press.