A couple have been unable to claim compensation for their broken washing machine because of confusion over a shop's change of name.

Peter Mann and Sarah Kennedy won two county court judgments ordering The Appliance Centre in Church Road, Hove, to refund their money and pay compensation.

However, they were told their claims were not valid when the shop changed name to The Appliance Centre Hove.

Mr Mann, of Queen's Park Road, Brighton, said: "It seems ludicrous we're being denied our money because of a simple name change. Can anyone do this to avoid paying?"

However, staff at the store said the name change was due to new owners taking over.

The couple paid £159 for the second-hand Whirlpool machine last September but it broke down within a week. An engineer from the manufacturers Whirlpool quoted the couple £300 to fix it.

A district judge at Brighton County Court ruled in the couple's favour on February 4, ordering The Appliance Centre to pay £239.50.

A second ruling was approved on March 11, claiming £324.50 including fresh legal costs.

However, when bailiffs turned up to execute the warrant, they were told the shop had reregistered under the new, slightly different name.

Mr Mann, 28, said: "The people at the shop have just been fobbing us off at every turn. At first they said it was their policy not to give refunds. Then they just stopped responding.

"They didn't even turn up in court. It feels like we've gone as far as we can and we won't get our money back. But I intend to print up leaflets and stand outside the shop telling people not to go inside."

Miss Kennedy, 23, said: "The manager has kept refusing to see us."

When The Argus called the shop, staff answered the phone with the words: "The Appliance Centre."

However, staff there said new owners took over last November and the name change was not a ploy.

Manager Steve Johnstone said they were previously based in Shirley Street, independent of the similarly-named The Appliance Centre in Church Road.

He said: "We are nothing to do with the previous owners, who were the ones who sold this machine.

"We sent our engineers to look at it out of goodwill and found it was being looked after in conditions which were too damp.

"Perhaps there has been a little confusion with the name, which we are looking to change again to make it clear we are a different firm."

He said it was up to Mr Mann to track down the owners of The Appliance Centre.

Graham Tickner, diary manager at Brighton County Court, said: "The onus is on Mr Mann to prove it is the same firm just under a different name and bring the matter back to court."