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A North West health supplements businessman has been handed a nine-year ban after presiding over a firm that "took advantage of vulnerable people" by using "aggressive" trading practices.

Phillip Pass and his firm Young Forever Ltd was investigated by the Insolvency Service, which found the company was repeatedly cold calling vulnerable or elderly people using India-based call centres.

Victims told the Insolvency Service that staff said they were linked to the Government or NHS - applying "excessive mark ups" of over 1,000% and failing to keep "suitable accounting records".

Rob Clarke, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: "Phillip Pass’s company took advantage of elderly and vulnerable people with their excessive cold calls and illegitimate orders.

"Phillip Pass claimed he did not have a day to day role but this was not a suitable defence as company directors are ultimately responsible for ensuring their business is operated with commercial honesty and decency.

"Nine years is a substantial disqualification and this ban means Phillip Pass has now been removed from being in control of any other businesses for a lengthy period."

Following the winding up of the company in February 2019, the service's official receiver conducted further investigations into the conduct of Mr Pass, who is from Brinscall in Chorley, Lancashire, as director of Young Forever.

Enquiries uncovered that while Mr Pass incorporated the company, he allowed all sales activities to be controlled by an overseas call centre, claiming he had no knowledge of what they were doing.