World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and two of his brothers must pay nearly £100,000 after a judge ruled they were liable for unpaid business rates.

Cheshire East Council took the fighter and siblings Shane and John to court for non-payment of business rates since April 2021 at land they owned in Styal, Cheshire.

None of the trio attended a hearing on Tuesday at Cheshire Magistrates Court to settle the dispute but their father, John Snr, gave evidence to say he had previously transferred his ownership of the site at Moss Lane to them about 20 years ago.

He added it was "ridiculous" that Tyson Fury was implicated, as he paid "millions of pounds" of tax each year.

The court heard he rented a storage yard, said to be “a stone’s throw away” from Manchester Airport, for £600 per month to Babakir Elmosbah, who said he was director of a firm which used the site for a valet parking service to and from the airport.

However, District Judge John McGarva said the respondents – the Fury brothers – had “not got anywhere near establishing a prima facie case” that the company, Holiday Car Parks Manchester Ltd, were in actual occupation of the premises, and was critical of the company director's evidence.

He ordered the Furys to pay the business rates bill of £82,166.85, together with the council’s court costs of £17,206.

Mr Fury Snr left the court after he gave evidence in the morning session and did not return to hear the judge’s ruling.

He had told the court he