A Darlington company director is threatening to go to court rather than take down a lucrative advertisement at the side of the A66.

Mr Tony Morrison jointly owns windows firm Mr Windows which paid UK Trailer Advertising to put up a sign on a mobile hoarding in a field.

He told the D&S Times that Stockton council's deadline for removing the unauthorised poster was Tuesday this week and he is likely to be sued if he leaves it up.

"I had forgotten until I received a call from a tarpaulin company asking if I wanted my sign covered up. I told them to keep well away from it."

The sign is on land at Hangthorn Farm on the A66 near Longnewton, heading towards Stockton.

"We are a young company only trading for six months and the trailer has been a fabulous advertisement. We have had such a response to it.

"It has been a positive thing and we spent over £1,500 on it. We planned to keep it for a year at least.

"When I rang UK Trailer Advertising, they said they were prepared to fight the ruling."

He says the authority is not taking into account the money the firm had invested in the sign.

"People have enjoyed it and mentioned it to us. It has been become very popular and it really is a winner."

He added: "I will even get a costume to go to court as the cartoon character, Mr Windows - I would go that far even if I had to turn it into a farce."

A spokesman for Stockton council confirmed a planning officer was investigating the situation and the council might consider legal action.

It had written to four other businesses, pointing out there was no planning consent given for trailers.

Darlington council took the same tough line several weeks ago with trailers which set up within its boundary.

Mr Adrian Miller, planning officer, said: "The trailers then appeared to move into the Stockton and Harlepool area."

One has reappeared on the A66 close to the Neasham and Hurworth roundabout advertising UK Trailer Advertising