BOSSES at a Leyland garage have been left with a massive bill after an international motor firm made them change their name.

The former Leyland Ford Specialists, on the Centurion Way Industrial Estate, have had to fork out more than £3,000 to change their company title after motor firm Ford demanded they scrap the word Ford from their name.

The enforced alteration has left bosses of the small firm fuming, and they are particularly angry because they claim Ford suggested the name in the first place!

Director of the firm Paul Casson said: "We decided to form the firm when we were made redundant from the Ford dealership in Leyland in 1991. We had all worked there.

"We wanted to call ourselves Leyland Ford Centre and checked out the idea with Ford in Essex but they said no to that one because it could be confusing as we weren't an official Ford centre.

"They suggested we call ourselves Leyland Ford Specialists and that's what we did. We had no idea there was a problem until Ford contacted us last month and told us to change the name now."

The firm, which now operates under the name of Garage Services (GSL) Limited, has had to change stationery, vans and signs, costing in total £3,000.

Angry Mr Casson said: "We are only a small firm and £3,000 is a lot of money.

"We are doing no harm to Ford. We used to work for them, we know what we are doing are we are a well respected firm.

"All our customers know we aren't part of Ford. This has caused us a massive headache for us after we went out of our way to try and prevent the situation in the first place.

A spokesman for Ford, based in Brentwood, Essex, said: "We are currently undergoing a restructuring operation involving all our dealerships in the country and in the best interests of our customers we have to make sure that only recognised firms use the Ford name."

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