IT took Britain's best loved wheeler-dealer to turn it into a status symbol - but now Del Boy's beloved motor is to be consigned to the great scrapyard in the sky.

Reliant Cars announced yesterday it will bring 65 years of three-wheeled car making to an end and stop making the famous Robins by December.

The firm said the move was to make way for the introduction of a new four wheeled vehicle, which will be previewed at the British International Motorshow next month.

But the news has dismayed North-East devotees of the Robin, whose fibreglass and plastic chassis earned it the name, the Plastic Pig.

Trevor Lewins, chairman of the North-East branch of the Reliant Owners Club, drove a Robin from Lands End to John O'Groats three years ago.

And he has passed the bug on to his two daughters, Rachel and Suzanne, who both own Reliants, with Suzanne's Robin being a shocking pink.

Trevor, from Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, said: "It is very disappointing news and it is another British model that is going, which is sad as well.

"People like a car they can enjoy driving and they get a good fuel consumption from them, which is important nowadays. Every chance I get, I'm out in it. It is just one of those things and if you like them you really love them."

Part of the attraction of the Reliant Robin was that drivers only needed a motorbike licence to get behind the wheel.

But Graham Scott, the club's vice-chairman and owner of a Reliant dealership in the in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, said the value of second hand Reliants was expected to increase after the production line comes to a final rest.

He said the garage, which has about 500 service customers, sold about 15 new Robins a year and a second-hand one every week.

He said: "They have such a following, these vehicles, that there will be a lot of people who are very sad at this."

But Reliant has one last treat for their fans - a special edition of the Robin will be produced to mark its demise, painted in gold and fitted with a rear windscreen wiper.

Mr Scott said the garage had already taken inquiries from customers who are keen to get hold of the last Reliant Robin.

l The Sunderland-produced Nissan Micra is revealed today to be near the bottom of the class in a series of crash tests among small cars.

The Euro NCAP results put the Micra as one of only four cars to get two stars from tests on front and side impact, pedestrian safety and child seats. Nissan declined to comment until after the study has been published.

Reliant Owners Club - www.reliant.club.ukgateway.ne