A TAXI driver says he will take a council to court for refusing him a licence.

Darlington Borough Council said John Stoddart, of Galaxy Cars, had the wrong kind of tinted windows in his vehicle.

But Mr Stoddart says the tinted windows on his Ford Galaxy car come as standard, and a letter from the manufacturer backs him up.

This week, he took the letters from Ford to the council to prove his case, but officers have still not granted him a licence.

Now Mr Stoddart, who says other cabs in the town have similar tinted windows, is to take legal action against the council and is confident he will win.

He said: "It's obvious to anyone that the vehicle does have the manufacturer's standard tinted glass and the council is going to lose. It's a total waste of taxpayers' money."

A spokeswoman for the council said it could not comment on Mr Stoddart's case because of the pending legal action.

But she said: "We do allow tinted windows that are manufacturers' standard, but they must also be of a light enough tint to see the interior of the vehicle."