A BOSS from the county is at the centre of a row over who should carry the can for the collapse of the Farepak Christmas hamper and voucher business.

The fiasco has affected more than 150,000 mainly lower-income people who between them have lost an estimated £40million.

They had been saving regularly for Christmas through a network of agents. They thought their money was safe in a Farepak account, which they expected to repay in the form of food hampers and store vouchers in time for the festive season.

But the money was used for other purposes by struggling parent company European Home Retail, which has since gone into administration, dragging Farepak down with it.

The episode has enraged savers, prompted a Department of Trade and Industry inquiry and sparked calls for regulation of the Christmas savings business.

Widespread publicity over the affair has provoked a wave of criticism against the company bosses and bank involved.

Former CBI president Sir Clive Thompson, who lives in Sevenoaks, was EHR chairman. He accused the company’s bank HBOS of "hanging the company out to dry", a claim vigrously rejected by HBOS.

Sir Clive, previously a member of the CBI’s south east regional council and former chief executive of Rentokil, kept low for a few days, feeding a frenzy of tabloid headlines about his luxury home and lifestyle.

But he eventually broke his silence by telling BBC radio that EHR had proposed several rescue plans but each had been turned down by HBOS.

He said: "I feel deeply for all those people who have been hurt by the collapse, in particularl those who saved for Christmas which has now been ruined."

He added that he would be contributing to the Government’s Farepak Response Fund, a newly registered charity. HBOS has given £2million.

An HBOS spokesman said: "We didn’t walk away from our customer when the going got tough."

Donations, which must be received by November 24, can be made by calling 0845 260 1096, by cheque to Farepak Response Fund, Unit 4, Alpha Court, Monks Cross Drive, Huntington, York. YO32 9WN, or by visiting www.farepakresponsefund.org.uk.