A COUPLE are facing a David and Goliath battle against one of Europe's largest media companies over international naming rights.

Husband and wife, Gus and Inez Bodur, have held the trademark for GoldenBalls since 2001 and opened up a boutique in Hampstead selling branded gifts and sportswear.

The pair, from Brent Cross, were then approached by Televison producers from Endermol who offered a six figure sum, plus royalties, to buy the naming rights for a gameshow, which was later fronted by Jasper Carrot.

But they have now become embroiled in an on going legal battle with French press group, Intra Presse, who are behind the Ballon D'or, the European Footballer of the Year award.

Lawyers acting on behalf of the multi-million pound company claimed the couple were “cashing in” on the reputation of the trophy, and their product “damages the image of excellence conveyed by the Ballon D'or”.

They ordered Mr and Mrs Bodur to renounce their company name and to cease all commercial use of the words GoldenBalls.

The lawyers claimed their clients “endeavoured to keep their complaint amicable” or risk formal legal proceedings.

But the couple fought the case, claiming there was a “clear lack” of similarity between the trademarks and that the respective goods and services are different Earlier this year the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market concluded the trademarks were visually and phonetically different, and ruled the French company should pay the £100,000 legal costs.

That decision has now been appealed and the couple again face going through the whole process to hold on to their company.

Mrs Bodur said: “We are not just wasting money to hold on to our brand, it is just a case of right and wrong. But they know they can drag this on for ten years because they have the money.

“It is nothing to do with their prestigious award. We don't want to spend more money on this, but we just want to protect what is ours.”

Mr Bodour added: “It has been really stressful. It is unbelievably difficult.

“We want to move forward but we can't afford to.”

They have already been sent more than 1,200 pages of documents relating to the appeal, which have to be translated, read by lawyers, responded to and translated back into French.

MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Mike Freer, has backed the couple's cause and is hoping to raise the matter in the House of Commons.

He said: “Obviously there is a problem with this large French company trying to bully a small company.

“I have tried to contact the French government to intervene. The Bodurs won the legal case but they are again being harried by a company that knows how to use the European legal system.”