A BLACKBURN man has been banned as director of a Preston coffee shop after running up debts of more than £491,000.

The ban on Ian Joseph Fowler, 45, who was director of Raffles Coffee House Limited, in Cheapside, also extends to any other company for a seven-year period. The business was placed into creditors voluntary liquidation on October 26, 2001, with estimated debts of £491,000.

Mr Fowler, of Hendry Lane, Blackburn, was found at Preston County Court to have continued to trade Raffles after October 2000, by which time he ought to have known the company was insolvent.

The court also heard that he had made payments from the company when he knew it was insolvent which benefited his family, and that he had failed to submit a VAT return for the company. He did not dispute any of these matters.

He has now had a disqualification order made against him which prevents him from being director of any company or from being, in any way, concerned in the promotion, formation or management of a company for seven years.

Members of the public who think they know someone is acting in breach of a disqualification order can report the person's details to the Insolvency Service on 0845 6013546.