A DORSET auto centre has permanently closed due to a lack of staff amid a "huge skill shortage". 

DCM Tyre & Autocentres is an automotive service centre with garages in Sturminster Newton, Shaftesbury and Blandford.

However, the Sturminster Newton garage has permanently closed due to staffing issues.

Charlie, managing director of DCM Autos, said: “We just can't staff that branch.

“There's a huge skill shortage in our industry at the moment and it’s nationwide and we pay quite well for the roles for mechanics which vary between 30,050 thousand a year skillset.

“We're part of a garage group with around 200 members and everybody's experiencing the same thing.

“There are just no staff around. That coupled with the fact that in Sturminster Newton, people don't tend to visit that town because there are no large employers there, and there's no supermarket.

“So during the day people leave and go to Blandford, Shaftesbury or Yeovil. So there’s not a huge customer base.

“There is in the evening because lots of people live there, but by the time they need help, we're closed.

“It's a staff shortage across the industry and we need to fill that gap somehow."

DCM Tyre & Autocentres offers a range of services for various types of vehicles, including petrol, diesel, electric, hybrid, manual and automatic vehicles.

The garage is described as ‘local, independent specialists who provide a customer-centric, trusted, dependable service, keeping motorists safely motoring on the road.’

The business also provides a wide range of car tyre choices for all vehicle types and customer budgets, with a broad selection across; economy, sport, touring, 4x4, supercar and winter driving.

Charlie added: “The colleges aren't getting as many apprentices anymore, which means they don't come into the trade. People don't want to work on cars much anymore.

“I think it's just the way the world is going, or certainly our country now. People don't want to be in this trade.”

The two remaining stores in Blandford and Shaftesbury are still operating successfully,

Charlie said he has a three-week waiting list at his Shaftesbury garage.