A ROSSENDALE solicitor has been struck off for "improper and unacceptable" behaviour.

Michael Tracey, 46, of Meadows Avenue, Haslingden, was one of three lawyers who set up a "sham" partnership to get round conditions imposed on a colleague by the Law Society.

But the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in London yesterday found all allegations proved against Mr Tracey and colleagues Aurangzeb Iqbal, 43, and Sardar Qadri, 46.

Chairman Alan Ground said: "We have found them proved in spite of the different roles within the firm.

"In reality they were running a sham partnership practice, failing to exercise proper supervision of the solicitors practice, failing to keep accounts written up and other allegations.

"The conduct of each respondent was serious, improper and unacceptable behaviour from a solicitor, or in the case of Qadri, a registered foreign lawyer.

"The sanction in the case of Tracey and Iqbal is to strike them off the roll and in the case of Qadri to strike him off the register of foreign lawyers."

Mr Tracey, Mr Iqbal, of Horsforth, Leeds, and Mr Qadri, of Eccles, Manchester, were each ordered to pay £7,483 costs.