THE Preston businessman accused of ripping off scores of firms has hit back, claiming he was forced out of business by a disgruntled client.

Robert Gardener, who, until earlier this month ran Advantage Design and Print Ltd, says every order he received for leaflets was been completed and delivered before he shut the shop up.

Several had contacted the Citizen, saying they paid hundreds of pounds for glossy leaflets to be designed and delivered by the firm, which was based in Ribbleton Lane, Preston.

They now claim they have paid money for nothing, and believe the print runs have only been partly completed, if printed at all.

But Mr Gardener, who has now set up another firm called Access To Business in Lancaster Road, Preston, says it is he who is the victim.

He told the Citizen: "Every order was completed to the best of my ability before I finished the business.

"I only started receiving complaints after one customer, who was unhappy because the advertising hadn't worked for his firm, started ringing my other customers saying I hadn't completed full print runs or hadn't distributed them.

"I can categorically state that I did. I employed local people, from Blackburn job centre, to deliver the leaflets in the area.

"In an area which may have 400,000 homes, a 50,000 print run is not going to cover every house so not everyone will get a leaflet, but that doesn't mean I didn't do the job."

He added: "I had hoped to take this part of Advantage with me into the new project, but I can't do that now. I shut Advantage because every project has a life span, and it was time to move on."

Angry customers are continuing to visit Mr Gardener's former premises, asking neighbours if they know his whereabouts. His landlord says he still owes her cash.

Lancashire Trading Standards said they were continuing to look into the incident, saying they need to establish the details of Advantage Design and Print Ltd before they decide what, if any, action they need to take.

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