AN AGRICULTURAL firm in Melksham is causing a stir with its fleet of trucks after investing in a selection of farmyard number plates.

Countrywide Farmers, on Bradford Road, has painted its flagship Scania truck with the image of a bull and mounted personalised number plates on all of its vehicles.

The move came as a surprise to staff but transport manager Charlie Fisher said the public had shown support for the range of quirky number plates, which feature names like Cow, Moo, Baa, Ram, Sow and Hen.

Mr Fisher, 39, said: "Some other firms have used personal number plates but not ones depicting the industry we are in.

"Some people will laugh and some people will cringe but other people will identify with it."

With plans already in place to increase the firm's fleet of vehicles, Mr Fisher said the new method was helping to spread the name of the company.

"We use the vehicles as a marketing ploy and they are our best form of advertising," he said.

"Our image is paramount to our growth and stability in the market place. If we turn up with an immaculate vehicle then it looks more professional on our behalf."

Mr Fisher said with new lorries regularly added to the 50-strong fleet, the possibility of painting animal images on to more trucks was a definite possibility.