DIGGER-MAKER JCB has forced three manufacturers to remove machines from a German trade show.

The Rocester business is accusing the firms of copying its products and infringing patents.

And it has been granted injunctions by the German courts which have resulted in the disputed products being removed and impounded or covered up.

The dispute escalated at the BAUMA international construction equipment show in Munich.

Tim Burnhope, JCB's group managing director of product development and commercial operations, said: "JCB will not tolerate blatant copying of its machines or infringement of internationally-recognised patents and in every instance will act quickly to stamp out such unfair practices.

"JCB invests many years and many millions of pounds developing and innovating new products and it's clearly unfair for any manufacturer to then simply free-ride on the results of that investment and research. "

The action concerned alleged infringement of JCB's intellectual rights on its backhoe loader and Loadall machines by three separate Far Eastern manufacturers.