A HAULIER whose firm stands to go under, leaving 50 workers without jobs and hundreds of Romanian orphans without Christmas presents, plans to appeal to the Court of Human Rights.

John Heads has had his operator's licence revoked - which means the end of the road for his Teesside firm Euro Haul.

The company has loaned lorries free of charge to the charity Convoy Aid, and his trucks have made three trips to Romania so far this year.

Following the revocation of Mr Head's haulier's licence by a Traffic Commissioner, the charity now faces the impossible task of raising £1,600 in transport costs - if it is not to be left with a warehouse full of gifts.

The company was fined by magistrates in Dover over two untaxed lorries, which normally ply their trade in Europe, but he was staggered to be punished a second time by Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell.

"I am devastated," said Mr Heads. "There was no loss of revenue to the treasury as we paid the back duty. We expected a slap on the wrist, not revocation of the licence.

"This is all down to politics with no thought to the consequences. We are going to appeal to the Court of Human Rights.''

A spokesman for the Traffic Commission said: "It involved a number of vehicles. All the evidence was examined and the fitness of the partnership to hold a licence was considered. Evidence was produced of evasion of vehicle excise duty, which is a criminal offence.

"The partnership has already been prosecuted by the relevant authorities for non-payment of vehicle excise duty.

"It was clear that the operator had the financial resources to pay the tax, but had taken a policy decision not do so.''

The spokesman emphatically denied revocation of the licence had been a political decision