CAR dealer Andrew Long admitted selling vehicles from his home.

Long, 40, of Reids Piece, Purton, admitted ten charges of doing business as a trader when advertising as if he was a private seller.

He asked Swindon magistrates for a further 19 charges to be taken into consideration. The case will now be transferred to Swindon Crown Court on June 7.

Long was given unconditional bail until then. Prosecuting on behalf of Swindon Borough Council, Phillip Wirth, said Swindon's trading standards department routinely monitor advertisements placed in trading magazines.

He said: "In October 2001 senior trading standards officer, Russell Sharland, carried out such an examination of Trade It, Exchange and Mart and Auto Trader. He found the same telephone number in multiple advertisements."

Mr Wirth said that between May 2000 and October 2001 a total of 64 cars where advertised against the number, amounting to a value of £37,000, the majority advertised under the name "Long."

Mr Sharland established the telephone number related to a Miss Roberts, Mr Wirth said, who was found to be Long's partner.

When Mr Sharland interviewed Long, the court heard, Long said he had not worked for five years due to disability, and admitted selling a couple of cars from home as well as allowing friends to sell their cars from his home telephone number.

In mitigation, Philip Hall told magistrates Long was a family man with a limited income and time on his hands. Mr Hall said his client had discovered he could buy vehicles and do them up.

He said: "He became reasonably adept at looking after cars, graduating up to a trade.

"He found he could supplement his family's income if he acquired cars, tidied them up and sold them on."

Mr Hall said Long had allowed other people to sell cars via his home phone number, especially when the sellers only had mobile numbers, which weren't accepted for magazine adverts.

"I don't think you would think you were going to the home of some opulent trader it you visited Mr Long," Mr Hall added.