A WOMAN has vowed to continue peacefully protesting outside a Darwen garage in a dispute over a faulty car.

Sarah McFarlane, 27, said she will continue to stand outside M65 Car Sales every weekend until she gets the money back for her car.

Garage owner Matthew Kay said he had offered to repair Mrs McFarlane’s car for free.

The row now looks set to be sorted out in the small claims court after Mrs McFarlane began proceedings.

For the last three weekends the mum-of-one has stood in the cold and rain holding a home-made placard.

She purchased a 2005 Ford Focus for £3,400 from the Blackburn Road garage in Darwen in November.

But just weeks after she bought the car she said it lost power while driving on the motorway.

The car was repaired by the garage. In February, Mrs McFarlane claims thick blue smoke came out of the exhaust and from under the bonnet – but said the garage refused to help.

She took the car to an independent dealership and claims a technician said the car had a number of faults.

She presented the report to Mr Kay.

She said: “I have no intention of doing business with them again in the future and I intend to protest again this weekend and every Saturday until I get my money back. £3,400 is an awful lot of money for us.”

The police have been called to the peaceful protests to speak to both parties.

Mr Kay said: “I have offered to fix the problems she has raised free of charge.

“It’s up to her what she does with her time. If she has nothing better to do she can stand out there.”

During one of her demonstrations, Mrs McFarlane was seen by the Mayor of Blackburn, Councillor Karimeh Foster, who took her number and contacted Blackburn Trading Standards on her behalf.

Coun Foster said: “Surely they can come to some agreement.”

Trading Standards said Mrs McFarlane was referred to Consumer Direct and given advice on her rights and how to attempt to resolve the situation.