A Bolton-based solicitors was shut down by a watchdog "to protect the interests of its clients or its former clients".

Eric Smith Law Ltd was shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in a ruling published on February 5.

According to the SRA, the solicitors based on Bark Street was in breach of the Administration of Justice Act 1985.

There is no other information about the breach by the firm or the manager of the firm, Imran Rashid, but the SRA said it was "to protect the interests of its clients or its former clients".

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The ruling said: "Mr Rashid as a manager of the firm, and the firm itself, have failed to comply with rules applicable to them both by virtue of of the Administration of Justice Act 1985.

"It is necessary to intervene to protect the interests of clients or former clients, the interests of beneficiaries of any trust of which the firm is or was a trustee, or the interests of the beneficiaries of any trust of which a person who is or was a manager or employee of the firm is or was a trustee in that person’s capacity as a manager or employee."

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According to the SRA, any solicitors shut down in this way surrenders its accounts and its documents to an intervention agent. The intervention agent, which in this case is Stephensons Solicitors, tries to bring them back to the people to whom they belong.

Eric Smith Law Ltd is able to appeal to the High Court.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.