ANGRY customers fear they have each lost hundreds of pounds after Malvern PR firm Sanity Marketing told them they were going to file for administration.

Director Jordan Baker confirmed on Monday that he had “put the business on hold” in the wake of its website and phone lines going down and social media channels being disabled.

READ MORE: Dozens of jobs at risk as Worcestershire company faces collapse

Within hours, email correspondence, seen by the Worcester News, had been sent to clients stating Sanity, which is a trading name of Lola Felicia Limited, “is having to close its doors and file for administration”.

In a previous statement sent to us, Mr Baker had described it as “a brief pause for a few days to assess how we can move forward” and said staff had been told of the measures on Thursday of last week.

However, Mr Baker has now said: "This morning we took the tough decision to employ an administrator. We were unable to re-secure financing in time and we were conscious not to leave employees or partners in unnecessary limbo.”

Lola Felicia is still listed as an active company on Companies House with Mr Baker as a director since July 1. Formal notice of intention to file for administration has yet to be recorded, while another company Sanity Marketing, where Mr Baker was listed as a director, was dissolved from May 18.

A disabled woman from Portsmouth said she was concerned at losing money after enlisting Sanity’s services to boost sales and highlight the issue of puppy farming.

Tamazin Morley of Sophistipaws, a home-based producer of handmade furniture and accessories for pets in Portsmouth, said she had also paid £300 – £250 plus VAT – as a deposit for a 12-month “pay-as-you-go PR” campaign but had only received one press release.

“They were doing a massive hard sell and then they disappeared off the face of the earth,” said Miss Morley.

“I tried to get hold of them last week but heard nothing.

“The phone was ringing at that point but I noticed on Google that they were temporarily closed and that they had not been posting on Instagram.

“When I rang this (Monday) morning the line was dead and now Google says they are permanently closed.

“People had been on Instagram asking what was happening with their campaigns but now that page has gone.

“We are very tiny and I was looking at them to help make some sales on top of the story about puppy farming.

“I want to create a new life for myself after a very difficult year.”

Client Naima Lacerna, who runs a business development and sales outsourcing agency in Liverpool, said she had paid £300 as a deposit which came with one free piece of press coverage.

She said: “I received an email from them this morning about them going into administration.”

Mr Baker said he had been in touch with clients to update them and added: “I’ve been surprised by the amount of positive replies I’ve had back and stand ready to personally work off any monies owed to make sure they are left whole. That’s the right thing to do.”