Boss of a bankrupt holiday parks firm, which operated a site near Honiton, has been disqualified from acting as a director for 14 years, one year below the maximum term.

Dream Lodge Group, which owned Blossom Hill Park in Dunkeswell as part of eight luxury lodge parks located across the UK, entered into administration back in January 2019.

Trading as the Dream Lodge Group, Walsham Chalet Park also ran an investment scheme where people could invest in part or an entire holiday chalet and would receive returns based on the holiday rental income.

58-year-old, Simon Moir, from Harlow in Essex, was appointed as a director of the company in 1998. But the company eventually began to struggle and by January 2019, Walsham Chalet Park entered into administration before being placed into creditors voluntary liquidation in the following September, owing just over £23 million to creditors.

The holiday parks company was brought to the attention of the Insolvency Service by Walsham Chalet Park's liquidators, Deloitte, before investigators established that £19.4m was owed to investors after the company's insolvency.

Sue Macleod, Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: "Simon Moir presided over a scheme where people thought they were investing in holiday chalets with the promise of generous financial returns.

"But it was nothing more than a ruse and Simon Moir's actions have caused substantial losses to investors, many of whom have lost their life savings.

"Thanks to Deloitte's assistance with our investigations, Simon Moir has been banned for 14 years.

"This is a significant period of disqualification, just a year under the maximum term, and will ensure no more investors will be victim to his schemes."