A BUS company boss was today celebrating a "moral victory" after police were allowed to retain just over £5,000 of £52,000 seized from her home.

And Suzanne Bailey, who ran the Buzy Buz company, urged police to either "put up or shut up" over their investigation into alleged insurance irregularities.

"I want my life back," said Mrs Bailey, who gave her name in court as Lady Suzanne Bailey of Blackburn. "It is time the police either charged me with something or concluded their investigations. I have maintained all along that I am a victim in this as much as anybody else and I have nothing to hide."

Mrs Bailey was speaking after District Judge Paul Firth had only partly allowed the Chief Constable's application for forfeiture of money seized from her home in Blackburn Road, Rishton, in November, under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The £5,653 retained was deemed to be the profits of inadvertently running buses without insurance. In making his ruling. the judge emphasised that he had made no finding of dishonesty against Mrs Bailey nor her husband David.

Mrs Bailey was due to surrender to police bail yesterday but during the course of the court hearing it was revealed that the date had been put back another six weeks.

Neil Addison, representing the Chief Constable, told the court that the papers relating to the criminal investigation had been with the Crown prosecution Service "for some considerable time." The police executed search warrants at Appleby Business Centre, in Appleby Road, and at Daisyfield Business Centre. Mrs Bailey was arrested along with David Bailey, both directors of Catchmebus.com and Buzy Buz, and they were released on police bail.

At a previous hearing, Peter Turner, for Mrs Bailey, said: "The money is required to pay wages long since overdue, it is required to pay the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise in respect of VAT and both of those are imposing punitive penalties on my client. He said his client was also facing inquiries from the Department of Transport about fuel cost rebates already paid.

The police involvement came after the company withdrew all its services without notice, leaving passengers stranded at bus stops.