A PROMINENT businessman could face bankruptcy after 700 kegs of beer with a retail value of £250,000 went missing.

Roger Walters, the former owner of Chester-based Licensed Leaseholds, has had his bank accounts frozen by brewing giant Coors after the booze went missing.

Licensed Leaseholds ran 23 pubs in the north west. The massive beer order, far greater than the agreed credit limit between the two firms, was put in - but Mr Walters insists it was not him who made it.

Coors released the 700 22-gallon kegs for delivery, but the consignment never went to Licensed Leaseholds.

Mold CID is investigating a report of theft, but at this stage would not release any fresh details.

Mr Walters, of Hawarden, told the Chronicle: 'It has ruined my business, I'm finished.

'We never even placed the order but Coors don't want to know.'

Two weeks ago, Coors Brewers Ltd, who produce market leading brands such as Carling, Worthington's and Grolsch, success-fully petitioned magistrates to freeze Mr Walters' bank account in a bid to claw the cash from him.

Last year Coors spent in excess of £30m advertising their brand leader Carling and sold seven million barrels of beer.

'I started Licensed Leaseholds in November 2002 and we were a fast-expanding company, with pubs from Birmingham to Wrexham and Bradford,' Mr Walters added.

'Coors were happy to take our business. I had a credit limit with them which I stuck to. But then this order, massively over that agreed credit limit, went in and the first I knew about it was when my monthly invoice went up by £100,000.

'The 700 barrels cost £100,000, but to make that much money we would have to sell £250,000 worth of beer.'

Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami has been fighting Mr Walters' corner, but claims he has also been snubbed by the firm.

'I am incensed that my enquiry into this most serious of matters could have been in the hands of Coors Brewers Limited for over five weeks without a full explanation of the company's position,' said Mr Tami.

'I have been informed that the company has successfully petitioned for Mr Walters' bank account to be frozen pending a further court hearing later this month. This is utterly unacceptable as police enquiries are still ongoing.'

Mr Tami has written letters to Eugene Reddington, Coors' Sales Managing Director, based in the firm's Leeds office, demanding answers.

In his most recent letter Mr Tami wrote: 'It is my understanding that your depot managers are also responsible for ensuring un-usual requests for additional deliveries do not go unchecked.

'I would equate this to something close to credit control and yet in the case of Licensed Leaseholds Ltd, hundreds of additional barrels were allowed to leave your depot.

'It strikes me that Coors are intent on pursuing Mr Walters for the cost of the missing alcohol because police investigations are likely to conclude it was stolen, in which case you will struggle to reclaim the lost sum.

'To be willing to allow an innocent man to face bankruptcy in this way is disgraceful.'

Mr Tami said the consignment of beer went missing in December last year and Mr Walters has since sold his company, Licensed Leaseholds Ltd, earlier this year.

Entrepreneur Roger Walters was also a leading figure in the motor racing world, with his Corvette team AK Motorsport being sponsored by girl-group Atomic Kitten.

A spokesperson for Coors Brew-ers Ltd told The Chronicle that they would not be able to divulge any information on the case at the present time.

A North Wales Police spokes-woman said: 'I can confirm we are investigating this matter and our enquiries are on-going.'