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The operators of a Liverpool Beatles tour risk being ordered to remove pictures of the band emblazoned across the side of a bus in a row over the copyright.
The Fab4Bus tours takes visitors on a sight-seeing trip around The Beatles' home town but has raised a few eyebrows since it was launched in Liverpool a month ago.
The bus carries an image modelled on the "Beatles For Sale" album cover, and the band's logo from the bass drum appears on the back of the bus.
Its operators, ACE Travel, have already removed a Cavern Club logo from the bus after the Cavern's manager Dave Jones saw red.
But ACE Travel director Alan Denson defends the use of Beatles images and insists his service makes a valuable contribution to the city's growing tourist trade.
Liverpool-born Alan, 54, said: "It's quite infuriating. I was born in Liverpool and have lived in the city all my life.
"It's my home town and I think I should should be able to use pictures of The Beatles on our tour bus.
"The drawing of The Beatles is a caricature, so I don't see how it is infringing copyright.
"My main priority is keeping people in work with these tours, and this is being held back by a load of stupid copyright claims.
"It's a load of codswallop. They cannot stop us using the word "Beatles" yet it seems everyone wants to have a go at us to try to put the tour out of business.
"Dave Jones, the manager of the Cavern Club, insisted on us taking The Cavern Club logo off the bus, which we did with no hassle.
"If we have broken any rules, I invite anyone with an issue to write to us and prove that they own the copyright to any of the images, but no-one has formally contacted us yet."
The tour, which has only been running since last month, takes visitors around Liverpool to the childhood homes of the Fab Four, as well as sites like Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane.
Liverpool Beatles guide Philip Coppell slammed the controversial bus as "amateur".
Phillip said: "There is a spread of unqualified tour guides in the city offering visitors the chance to see famous Beatles landmarks.
"Some of these tours are amateur and do not properly represent the city. We don't want shabby operators who cut corners and offer a poor service to visitors.
"Tours that include poor information undermine the credibility of reputable guides who are involved in the most important growth industry in our city.
"It's time the city council stepped-in to ensure we a system of registration and regulation of qualified tour guides.
"That would stop anyone just setting themselves up as tour companies and taking advantage of the visitors with second-rate, duff information."
It is understood that Apple Corps - owners of the "Beatles For Sale" image - are considering whether to take legal action against ACE Travel.
An Apple Corps spokeswoman said: "We don't normally comment on these kind of things."
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