STEVE Guy, who advertises his firm on the side of his agricultural trailer at Wyre Piddle, is prepared to go to court if necessary to defend his right to display his sign.

Mr Guy, of the turf growers S Guy and Sons, was first ordered by Wychavon District Council to remove his signs about 12 months ago. Principal planning officer Graeme Duerden told him that to display such signs without planning permission was in breach of the Town and Country planning regulations.

Mr Guy has been arguing ever since that he does not need permission to put signage on his agricultural vehicle, which is parked on his own land next to the Wyre Piddle bypass.

Now the matter is in the hands of Wychavon's solicitors who have been instructed to start prosecution proceedings.

Mr Guy said: "My tractor and trailer is being used on my fields in connection with my business. I transport costly irrigation equipment in the trailer, therefore I believe I do not need planning permission." Mr Guy criticised the council for persisting with an enforcement order. He said Wychavon was wasting its time and money pursuing him for what he believes is a trivial matter.

Mr Guy said: "There are serious breaches of planning laws all over the district, especially in connection with the huge signs facing the motorway, but I don't see them coming down. I do not believe I am doing any wrong, and will go to court over it if I have to."

Mr Duerden said: "Mr Guy is mixing up the issues. It is not the use of his trailer that is in breach, it is the display of the advertisement. It is a criminal office to display an advertisement without formal planning consent. We have told him on a number of occasions but he has persistently displayed the advert despite the advice. That leaves us with no alternative but to proceed with a formal prosecution. We are also taking similar steps elsewhere in the district, regarding other breaches in the planning laws."