The Maidstone-based Haynes Brothers motor dealers have appointed a new group managing director.

James Broadley takes over the role from Andrew Haynes who now becomes chief executive officers as well as company chairman.

Haynes is one of the town's oldest businesses. It was established in London in 1790 as an ironmongery and general store and moved to Kent in 1832.

It was the first car dealers in Kent to become a Ford Motor Company franchise - way back in 1911. Henry Ford only started his car company in 1903.

For the past 110 years, Haynes has grown its passenger car, truck and tractor business and is unique in the country in still operating in all three areas, albeit with different manufacturers, given Ford’s move away from the truck and agricultural business.

Andrew Haynes is the sixth generation of the family to run the business.

Mr Broadley, 36, is a chartered accountant and joined the firm as finance and commercial director in April 2019.

He said: "I am thrilled to be taking on this new role. Haynes is a unique business operating in three distinct areas; cars, trucks/commercial vehicles and agricultural machinery.

"I have always been mechanically minded and love the diversity of machinery and sectors in which the group operates.

"That said, I am very aware of the huge responsibility of taking over the role of group managing director, in a successful family-owned company with a 230-year history. "

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone

Read more: All the latest news from Weald

Keep up-to-date with developments on transport and stories that will impact how you travel