Derek Forrest, who is also a South Ribble councillor, landed in trouble with the Law Society after using the word "solicitor" in the title for his home loans company - a breach of strict professional rules.

Today the furious 58-year-old, who is well known for dressing as a Roman soldier as a member of military re-enactment group the Ermine Street Guard, raged: "I am mad as hell!

"This is the thanks I get for dedicating my life to the law. I have been a solicitor for over 30 years.

"The fine is greatly unfair. We provide a damn good service to thousands for people for free. We sometimes have people crying on the phone to us."

A hearing was told the father-of-three, who runs legal practice Solicitors Direct at Leyland Enterprise Business Park, breached codes when he set up sister firm Solicitors Direct Mortgages Ltd – a title the society claimed could confuse clients.

The Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal was told the councillor was now a 50% shareholder of the loans firm but no longer a director, and the co-owner was now responsible for the mortgage company.

Mr Forrest's business partner had built up the mortgage firm using the name and it would be "financially devastating" to change it, it was claimed.

Mr Forrest, of Wigan Road, Leyland, appeared at the London hearing to admit the blunder but said he could not alter the title of his law practice because of the "goodwill" associated with it.

Law Society chairman Alan Ground said: "You would have to be blind not to realise it is a thoroughly misleading name."

He said Mr Forrest failed to take steps to avoid confusing the public and added: "It continues to be a matter of concern to the tribunal that the separate business continues to have the word 'solicitor' in the name when it is not under the control of a solicitor."

The tribunal fined him £5,000 and ordered him to pay £2,500 costs – but he is now considering an appeal.

Fellow South Ribble councillors today raised the possibility of an investigation by local government authority, the Standards Board for England.

For full story see Saturday's Lancashire Evening Post.