A GARAGE has been named and shamed for allegedly cutting corners on safety.

An investigation by consumer watchdog magazine Which? found a staggering 92 per cent of firms tested failed to repair faults or charged for work that had not been carried out. One of those was Heywood garage Kempster Ford.

Noel Sharpe, a 39-year-old from Heywood, was one of 50 car owners whose vehicles were used in the probe.

She said she was horrified when Kempster Ford sent her Volvo V50 estate back after its three-year service with what the survey claimed were two bald front tyres.

The assistant director said she had no idea the tyres were dangerous because the wear was on the inside edge and was only visible when the wheel was turned full lock.

"There should have been a more thorough inspection," she said. "I'm disappointed the garage missed a safety-critical item like this."

But Bob Turner, from Kempster Ford, on Hardfield Street, denied the tyre was in a potentially dangerous state.

He said: "A tyre with wear on its inner edge would still pass its MoT. I've looked at the job sheet for this car and the measurements we took for the middle of the tyres were fine.

"The mechanic should have noted that the inners were worn and he didn't, so I apologise for that. But to say they were bald isn't accurate and is unfair."

The Which? investigation involved 50 nearly-new cars which were deliberately `doctored' before their owners booked them in for service.

Each had its brake fluid emptied to the minimum level and air pressure on a tyre reduced to below the recommended safety level.

The air was also let out of the spare tyre, a reverse light was replaced with a blown bulb and screenwash reservoirs were topped up, to see how many customers would be charged for it even though it was already full.

Forty-six garages missed at least one fault and 35 overlooked two or more.