A CHORLEY businessman has been banned from being a company director for seven years following the crash of three firms.

Brian Miller was found guilty of unfit conduct by Bury County Court.

The Insolvency Service -- an executive agency of the Department of Trade and industry -- said the combined estimated "deficiency" of the three companies in January, 1998, was more than £550,000.

The disqualification order was made in respect of Mr Miller's conduct as a director of three companies -- Brymill Machinery Ltd, Dry Laun Clean (Machinery Agencies) Ltd and Machinery Agencies Ltd.

It prevents Mr Miller, of Maple Avenue, Brinscall, from being a director of a company, or in any way, directly or indirectly, being concerned or taking part in the promotion, formation or management of a company for the seven year period.

Dry-Laun (Machinery Agencies) Ltd was incorporated on June 13, 1973, and started trading as a provider of dry cleaning services and dry cleaning machinery and repair services.

It traded from premises on Churchill Road, Brinscall, until it was placed into liquidation in April, 1996.

Machinery Agencies Ltd was incorporated in December, 1995, and commenced trading in April, 1996, taking over the business and workforce of Dry-Laun Clean (Machinery Agencies) Ltd. It was placed into liquidation in December, 1996.

Brymill Machinery Ltd was incorporated and began trading in December, 1996, again taking over the business and workforce of the previous company. It went into liquidation in January, 1998.

Among the allegations of unfit conduct were that following the failure of two previous companies, Mr Miller caused Brymill to trade without ensuring it had adequate working and permanent capital and management controls to ensure trading would not affect creditors; and that he caused Brymill to retain £16,950 due to the Inland Revenue and failed to ensure the company complied with its statutory obligations in respect of taxation.