THE Warrington Guardian has been following the story of a company called First For Fragrance, whose franchise business is being probed by the Department of Trade and Industry. The company has sold hundreds of thousands of pounds'-worth of contracts to operate its perfume machines around the country. This week, we detail how the company finally sold a franchise for the area where it has been based since late 2005 - Warrington.

THE Warrington franchise was one of the last sold by under- investigation firm First for Fragrance, it has emerged.

The deal was done with a 38-year-old, from Runcorn - and he has lost on his investment like dozens of other franchisees from around the country.

It is understood the franchise was sold in November, weeks before the firm abandoned its office in Meadowcroft Way, Leigh, in January.

The company, which sells perfume vending machines and franchises to operate them, had previously been based in Cadishead and at St James' Court at Wilderspool Causeway.

It is being looked into by the Department of Trade and Industry, and it is believed complaints have also been made to Wigan Trading Standards, Manchester CID and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The Warrington deal was an £11,000 contract for 20 machines, sold to a working class father-of-two, that was supposed to include £5,000 of free stock.

However, it is understood that the franchisee did not receive the stock or two of the machines - and has been getting minimal takings from the ones in place.

First For Fragrance, and its associated company, Fragrance International, had been telling people they could earn from between £200 and £800 a week.

There are around 40 known franchisees and they include people from Bristol, Glasgow, London, Dublin, Belfast, Leeds and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Several are taking legal action.

The company used to be owned by Malcolm Hague, from Stockport Road, in Thelwall, and sales work was done by his neighbour, Mike Anderson. It is now run by Bryn Morgan, from Llandrindod, in Wales.

THE Warrington Guardian has also spoken to one of the very first people to buy a First for Fragrance franchise, in September 2005.

He was sold the franchise from Northern Ireland - a franchise that would later be sold again to Fragrance International, a linked company.

The man, from Londonderry, had an unpleasant shock soon after making the deal.

He saw salesman Michael Anderson on BBC's Watchdog from Mr Anderson's days as director of Westbrook-based Tan Kwik, which was put into forced liquidation by the Government in the public interest'.

The man said: "I hadn't a clue it was going to be on TV. My wife happened to be watching and she said there's that guy who was in our house'."

He paid for 12 machines for £24,000. They were sited by June, and after four months, he had taken a grand total of just £300.