DETECTIVES investigating George Reynolds have made a legal bid to confiscate permanently the £500,000 they seized from his car last month.

Magistrates sitting in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, were due to hear their application for a forfeiture order under new legislation, the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, yesterday.

But the civil hearing was adjourned until Thursday next week to allow Mr Reynolds' solicitors, who plan to contest the order, time to assess the application.

The burden of proof will be on officers from the North-East's Regional Asset Recovery Team, who will need to show they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the cash is the proceeds of or intended for use in crime.

Mr Reynolds, former chairman of Darlington Football Club, was arrested on suspicion of money laundering, along with his cousin Richard Tennick and assistant Ian Robinson, after police swooped on his car in High Etherley, County Durham, on June 14.

The Regional Asset Recovery Team was given permission by magistrates to keep the money until yesterday.

Mr Reynolds' solicitor, Andrew Clinton, said the police's application to have the cash forfeited had surprised him. "We were going to make an application to get the money back to us today," he said.

"That opportunity was taken away from us when they made this further application.

"They haven't yet given me any reason as to why they have made the application. I think they are playing for time."

Mr Reynolds insists the £500,000 was from the sale of his house, Witton Hall, at Witton-le-Wear, to the Sterling Consortium, the new owners of Darlington Football Club.

A Durham Police spokes-man said: "Inquiries by the Regional Asset Recovery Team are continuing and we do not want to compromise that investigation by saying anything further."

The new Act means there does not have to be a criminal charge or conviction for seized money to be forfeited.