THE director of a clothing manufacturer Flex Sportswear Limited has agreed to a three-year disqualification.

Stephen Dale, of Fieldfare Court, Crook Gate, Burnopfield, County Durham, has undertaken not to hold directorships or take any part in company management, or to be involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company for three years.

Flex Sportswear, which had premises on Hackworth Industrial Park, Shildon, County Durham, went into liquidation in August 2000, with estimated debts of £60,457.

Matters of unfit conduct included Mr Dale causing Flex Sportswear to fail to deal properly with its statutory obligations to the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise - at the date of liquidation, the Inland Revenue's claim was £25,039.39 with that for Customs and Excise's standing at £1,100.34.

Mr Dale had also failed to maintain, preserve and deliver accounting records for the company.

As a result, the liquidator had been unable to satisfy himself that he was aware of all the company's assets, liabilities and amounts paid to the directors and whether this was reasonable, the Insolvency Service said yesterday.

He had also not been able to find out the true extent of the liabilities to the Inland Revenue and HM Customs, and any monies due to the company from trade debtors.