SAUCY postcards, donkey rides and sticks of rock. No, it's not Blackpool but Bury!

For yesterday (Thurs Nov 30), Asda transformed its Pilsworth store into a veritable "tourist destination" in its attempts to break what it claims is the service station signage monopoly forcing drivers to pay "rip off" prices for goods and services.

Now, Asda is adopting the old adage "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" and asking the highway authorities for permission to re-designate its stores as "tourist destinations."

A spokesman said: "Such a change would allow it to apply for brown tourist signs by key motorway junctions, currently available to places that generate more than 250,000 visitors a year." Asda fully meets this measure. And with almost half of its stores within three minutes drive of a major trunk road or motorway junction, re-designation would allow the supermarket chain to break the signage monopoly.

To demonstrate the savings for motorists, the company placed a brown information panel on private land by junction 3 of the M66 near Bury.

The sign offered drivers a "welcome break" from high roadside prices and directed them to the Pilsworth store just a few miles from Granada-run Birch services on the M62.

And "tourists" weren't disappointed when they arrived at the Asda store.

The spokesman added: "Not only are prices up to two thirds less than the service stations a few miles away, to meet the needs of the law Pilsworth has also been turned into a holiday destination with donkeys, rock and saucy postcards of the store."

Asda claim motorway service facilities, notoriously overpriced, are dominated by Granada, Welcome Break and Roadchef which control all but a handful of Britain's 100-plus service areas.

A comparison of prices at Asda Pilsworth and Granada's Birch services showed that customers could save up to two thirds by accelerating past them.

Asda chief operating officer Paul Mason said: "The service stations have had their own way for far too long.

"It's time to end the great motorway rip-off and inject a little competition on to our roads."