Motoring bosses have apologised after a grandfather was arrested because his MOT certificate was the 'wrong’ shade of green.

Michael Cook was left in a police cell for three hours and questioned by officers for 30 minutes over the validity of the vehicle document.

Mr Cook faced the humiliation of being swabbed, fingerprinted and photographed before his name was cleared.

Problems started for the 49-year-old, from South Shields, when he turned up to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) centre at Eagle Star House in Gosforth, Newcastle, last week.

He handed over the required documents – which included his new two-week old MOT certificate and his previous one, but a short time later saw a police officer arriving on site.

“The office was really packed, so there was a bit of waiting before it was my turn,” said Mr Cook.

“I’d handed over my things to the cashier and I knew something was wrong. I then saw a policeman go into a side room, and then I was asked to go in too because they needed to have a word with me.”

When he entered the room, Mr Cook, a self-employed roofer, was told staff believed his new MOT certificate was fake – because it was a lighter shade than his old one– so they had alerted the police.

The father-of-two was then arrested and taken to nearby Westerhope and Newburn Police Station, where swabs, fingerprints and pictures were taken before he was placed in a cell for three hours.

He said: “I was stunned and could not believe what was happening.

"It was so embarassing.

"I know the police were only doing their jobs and they were very civil, but it was an awful thing to happen.

“I had to be interviewed and they were asking all sorts of questions about where I had the MOT done, I was there for quite a few hours until they proved it was a genuine certificate.”

Mr Cook had to return to Eagle Star House later that afternoon and was finally issued a new tax disk.

He added: “It was a different person serving me this time, but nothing much was said. I think I at least deserve a proper apology for what they put me through.”

A spokesman from the DVLA said: “The DVLA has a duty to maintain an accurate record and improve road safety. In a situation where there is a potentially fraudulent document presented, it is our procedure to contact the police.

“Should it became apparent that the document is valid, the Agency will apologise to the customer.”

He added: “I assure you that the DVLA sympathises with Mr Cook and fully understands his dissatisfaction.

"I can confirm that further to the apologies he has already received, we will be contacting him to apologise again.”

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "At 12 noon on May 5 police were called to Eagle Star House in Gosforth following concerns about a document being used by a customer.

"Enquiries were conducted and it was found the document was legitimate.

"No crime has been committed and no further action has been taken."