Trading Standards officials at Kent County Council are due to meet with police later today to discuss whether to take any action against RedHotAnt.

Asked about RHA's rapid demise, a spokesman for Trading Standards said they were "taking the matter very seriously".

"We're exploring [with police] whether there is anything we can do," he said.

RHA was still accepting subscriptions to its unmetered Net access service - which costs £120 - up until the end of last month.

It's understood trading standards officials have been trying to negotiate with RHA so that some of those worst hit can be refunded.

No one from RHA was available to discuss the matter. ®