Bolton-based Lythgoe Motor Group has purchased the Rochdale retail site from DC Cook, which went into receivership earlier this year.

The Rochdale outlet trades as a Fiat and Alfa Romeo franchise. According to receivers Grant Thornton, which secured the sale, it is expected that Fiat and Alfa will award Lythgoe the dealership franchises for the Rochdale area.

DC Cook's Wakefield site (Citroen) has been sold to Dixon Motors, the Jaguar franchise in Doncaster to European Motor Holdings, the Nissan franchise in Coventry to Nissan Motors GB (trading as Westway) and the plant and equipment at the Derby 'Motor City' site to Ilkeston Co-op.

The Renault Crewe franchise was sold to TG Holdcroft on January 25 and the plant and machinery at Newcastle under Lyme was disposed of to TG Holdcroft on February 6.

Malcolm Shierson, partner at Grant Thornton, said: "There has been significant interest in the remaining trading outlets within the DC Cook business in Barnsley, Sheffield, Manchester and Macclesfield which we will be progressing over the coming weeks. These franchises continue to trade normally."

DC Cook went into receivership on January 19 with debts of £27m. It ran 27 outlets and employed 700 people.