AN 82-year-old family business has been dismantled amid plans to build homes on its base.

Sykes' Coaches was set up by George Sykes in 1920 and has been a fixture in Appleton Roebuck, near York, ever since.

But a partnership between Margaret Sykes, the widow of its most recent owner, John Sykes, and Mr Sykes's sister, Susan Storm, has been dissolved, and negotiations with developers have started.

The move has been met with anger by Mrs Storm. She said: "I knew nothing about it until I had a letter through the door telling me that the partnership had been dissolved.

"We had to shut the company down. I've spoken to my solicitor and it's all totally legal. Mrs Sykes owns the land and she can do what she likes with it.

"The family is absolutely devastated. This is 82 years of dedication down the drain, and it seems there is nothing we can do about it. We've just got to give in."

Mrs Storm said she believed the proposals were to build ten homes on the site, which overlooks Main Street in the village. She has taken two coaches with the dissolution of the company, and aims to operate through Acaster Airfield-based company Just Travel.

The Sykes name will no longer be associated with the business.

John Sykes died three years ago, leaving the land to his wife in his will. "This was a part of Appleton Roebuck and I can't believe it has just ended," said Mrs Storm.

She said the bulk of the company's work had been made up of school service runs. She said she hoped to continue most of them with her buses, and hoped that private hire business would still come to her.

Mrs Sykes said last night that the land had not been sold.

She refused to comment further.

Updated: 11:42 Monday, December 23, 2002