County Durham-based Aston Workshop has been appointed as a Aston Martin Approved Service Agent.

It is unusual for a company outside of the Aston Martin network to be recognised in this way.

The appointment follows a £250,000 investment in staff training and infrastructure, including a new reception area and retail outlet, new signage, two new service bays and a state-of-the-art diagnostic area.

Aston Workshop employees visited the headquarters of Aston Martin in Gaydon to undergo advanced training and gain the qualifications necessary for ‘service agent’ status.

Clive Dickinson, managing director of Aston Workshop, said: “We’ve been dedicated to Aston Martin for over 20 years and I’m delighted that our work here has been acknowledged with such a prestigious accreditation.”