REPRESENTATIVES of three Brighouse firms have appeared in court charged with a total of 56 offences.

Paul Towers, 36, of Verdun Road, Wibsey, Bradford, faces a total of 22 charges through trading under the company names of both Resinways and Driveways.

Andrew Bagshaw, 39, of no fixed address, faces 11 charges, trading under the company name of Ecoways, a double glazing firm.

Robert Morrison, 34, of Lower Crow Nest Drive, Lightcliffe, Brighouse, faces 23 charges, also trading under the company name of Resinways and Driveways.

The three companies all have a registered address at Owler Ings Road, Brighouse.

The offences, under the Fraud Act and the Consumer Protection for Unfair Trading Regulations, are alleged to have taken place between 2013 and last year.

All three defendants appeared at Leeds Crown Court yesterday. They were told a trial, expected to last three to four weeks, is scheduled to start at the court on February 13 next year.

The proceedings follow an investigation by West Yorkshire Trading Standards.