All smiles as dentists celebrate crocodile victory over Lacoste

TWO dentists were celebrating victory yesterday after a trademark judge overruled a fashion giant’s protests at a crocodile symbol that adorns their private surgery.

Lacoste, the French clothing chain, claimed a grinning cartoon reptile on a welcome sign at The Dental Practice, in Cheltenham, was too similar to their own globally recognised logo.

But Dr Tim Rumney and Dr Simon Moore won the David and Goliath battle after the British Intellectual Property Office dismissed allegations their emblem could cause confusion among shoppers.