Farepak fund vouchers ship next week

Victims of collapsed savings club Farepak will start receiving shopping vouchers next week, with the hand-out to be completed by December 18.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry, customers can expect to get about 15p for every pound they saved, from the response fund total of£6.3 million.

The vouchers will be distributed by about 25,000 Farepak agents, to some 150,000 customers and are redeemable at 75 stores including Boots, Woolworths and Argos.

Administrators, who took over the running of the firm after its collapse, expect to pay victims a further 4p to 5p for every pound they saved at some point next year.

However, Farepak Response Fund chairwoman Shirley Young said she was 'very disappointed' that more has not been raised.

Dumfries Labour MSP Elaine Murray, who urged political colleagues to contribute, said she was also very disappointed by the response.