Lawyers representing former housebuilding tycoons Michael and John Taggart in their multi-million pound legal battle with Ulster Bank have come off record, it emerged today.

The development, confirmed at the High Court, could result in the case being delayed further.

A three-week trial was supposed to be heard in February, only to be put back until May for medical reasons. Now the Taggarts’ legal team have ended their association. No details of their decision to come off record were given.

It means the brothers are now personal litigants in the case. Senior counsel for the bank said it wanted the action to go ahead as planned.

Mr Justice Weatherup was told another law firm was interested in representing the brothers but would need more time.

Michael Taggart was in court for the update. He and his brother John were once described as the richest businessmen in Ireland. Their business was among Northern Ireland's largest builders. But it collapsed in the property crash of 2008, costing creditors hundreds of millions of pounds.

The brothers are suing the bank for alleged negligence they say contributed to the collapse of the business.