A STOKE Prior man has been disqualified from acting as a company director after the metal fabricating firm he ran folded with debts of more than £1.7m.

Christopher Boden, from Causeway Meadows, took a legal pledge on Friday April 20 not to act as a company director for three years.

It is one of the first examples of new rules introduced on April 1 which allow directors to voluntarily accept a ban after their company is liquidated to avoid costly court proceedings.

Mr Boden was disqualified for his conduct as a director of Ryefields Holdings plc, in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

The company went into liquidation on Friday and Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers accepted Mr Boden's disqualification undertaking the same day.

He was judged unfit to run a public company after failing to pay in contributions to a pension scheme, not complying with health and safety regulations and continuing a failed company without due prospect of survival.

Acting as a company director while disqualified carries a penalty of up to two years' imprisonment.