A car wash boss has apologised after hundreds of leaflets advertising his business became stuck on people's windscreens and needed scrubbing off.

Motorists living on the outskirts of Maidstone town centre, towards Penenden Heath, were left fuming after waking up on Good Friday to a sticky flyer which proved difficult to remove.

It belonged to Wash & Shiny Ltd, which is based next to the Mall car park and Sainsbury's in Romney Avenue.

Owner Dino Antonio and his team put around 500 leaflets on cars in the town which became stuck to the car's windscreens and needed scrapping off.

The 40-year-old has had half a dozen people turn up to the car wash demanding they clean up the mess. He's also gone back to the area they leafleted to remove any marks left on people's car.

It's thought the paper leaflets became stuck to cars after getting wet overnight and then drying again the following day.

The overnight appearance of the flyers, and the mess it left behind, left residents wondering if it was marketing genius for the car wash, or stupidity.

Richard Cooper was one of many to have the leftover leaflet stuck to his car and headed down to the car wash to demand it be taken off free of charge.

He said: "Like most people, I was fuming. I had to go out of my way which delayed me getting to work to get the issue sorted.

"I did try encouraging all those affected to go to the car wash to get it cleaned. However, the owner of the car wash wasn't up for taking responsibility. Only when I stood my ground with him to get it done it was still not perfect.

"The idea, from what I gather was to promote the company which has back fired. Although, how many people who aren't confrontational and would have paid to get it removed? The two lads initially were saying I had to pay for a clean.

"And how many people have still got the residue on their windscreen?

"They had no right to put their property on it."

While Beth Harrington added: "I haven’t been down there yet but I am going to and they can wash my car.

"It’s either the best marketing ploy I’ve ever seen or they are just mindless idiots."

Owner Dino said: "We are really sorry for what's happened. We were just trying to advertise our business.

"We put them on cars at night and the bad weather must have made it wet then sticky when it dried.

"If you get it wet again it should come off, but we are happy to remove it for people if they come down or text us their address.

"We've had some come in already to get it taken off, or just get their car cleaned as they get £5 off with the leaflet, which is a good deal.

"We handed out about 500 flyers. We've done it before and never, ever, had a problem. This is the first time."

Wash & Shiny Ltd put hundreds of leaflets along cars in roads from Boxley Road to Sittingbourne Road, as well as Holland Road to the town centre.