LEGAL experts are to investigate complaints that the mileage clock on a used car bought from a leading motor dealer was turned back and its MoT "doctored".

The complaint was put to solicitors running the second series of South Wales Argus-Harding Evans legal clinics, at Caerleon.

The allegation was that the car's clock had been turned back several thousand miles and the MoT had been altered to take account of the change.

"If this is proved, then a criminal offence has been committed and it becomes a matter for Trading Standards and the police. We are looking further into this complaint and the owner obviously feels he should be compensated," said a spokesman for the Newport-based law partnership. Complaints about buying used cars have been high on the list of issues raised in previous years at the legal roadshows and several cases have been taken on and won.

The latest complaint was one of a wide range of legal issues dealt with by the experts who are running the roadside clinics from the new Argus mobile office parked in four areas of Newport over the next four weeks. The next clinic takes place tomorrow at Maindee in the shopping centre's pay and display car park between 6pm and 8.30pm.

The team will also investigate another complaint they received at Caerleon from a mother who complained that her son's car had been impounded because he had not paid parking fines.

"If cars are left on the road without tax and parking fines have been run up, then they can be taken away and if those fines are not paid, then the vehicle can ultimately be scrapped," said the spokesman.

One of the other issues raised at the roadshow was a complaint from a Newport father that his girlfriend had refused to allow him to take their children away on holiday.

"The couple had split, but because they were not married he has no parental rights in terms of taking the children away - he has to make application to the court if she refuses permission."