The Classic Car Group has acquired a rival rental firm in a move to boost business.

The Otley firm, set up by Diane and Graham Smith in 1989, rents out head-turning cars.

The company, which announced last year that it had taken on a Practical Car & Van Rental franchise to offer customers a stable of brand new cars and vans, has acquired Buxton-based Northern Sports Car Hire.

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will see the group's fleet extended to offer TVRs, Audis and Porsches, as well as the wealth of classics such as Jaguars, Morgans and Triumphs it already offers.

The company has also revealed that it is to branch out into a venture called Sports Car Days.

The move will allow customers to drive a minimum of five sports and classic vehicles in the Yorkshire Dales or Cotswolds on a day-long treasure hunt.

It can also now offer cars, such as a Ferrari 360, Lamborghini Diablo, or Mini Cooper, from pick up points in Paris, Milan, Cannes, Geneva and Zurich.

Classic Car employs eight people and hires out more than 1,000 vehicles a year.

The deal last year with Practical made Classic Car the third largest rental network in the UK.