A MAJOR cosmetics company has forced a tiny North-East tanning salon to change its name.

Fake tan firm St Tropez has won a David and Goliath battle with a beauty salon of the same name in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

Salon owner Sharon Smith was shocked when she received a complaint from Beauty Source Limited - the company that produces St Tropez tanning products.

Miss Smith opened her business six years ago and named it after the glamorous resort in the South of France.

But the Nottingham-based cosmetics company had laid claim to the name in 1996, before it became an iconic brand.

Miss Smith said: "Any fair-minded person would say this big company cannot lay claim or have exclusive use to the name of the French resort."

But the company - which is now a global brand and celebrity favourite - threatened legal action against Miss Smith to protect the registered trade name of their product.

After running up huge bills trying to save the name of her salon, Miss Smith has decided to follow her solicitor's advice and comply with the firm's demands and pay their legal costs.

She has now changed the name of her salon to Sun Inn, fearing if she pursued a costly legal battle her business would be crippled.

Miss Smith said: "We don't sell their product or any other fake tan products. I think its ridiculous. Everyone knows we are not part of their company.

"It is a case of big fish, little fish. I'm still in shock to think they can do this."

A spokeswoman for Beauty Source Limited said the company took action to protect the St Tropez brand so consumers were not misled.

She said: "We are pleased to see that Miss Smith has decided to change the name of the salon to a name that is not confusingly similar with that of the well-known tanning treatment sold by this company.

"We believe that our action was fair and reasonable in order to avoid any confusion in the minds of the public with our brand and products."