GAS industry watchdog Ofgas has started an investigation into the doorstep selling practices of Eastern Natural Gas (Retail) Limited.

News of the investigation comes hot on the heels of a BEN report which detailed complaints against the gas company from angry readers.

They claimed they had been duped into signing gas contracts when they believed that all they were signing for was more information from Eastern Natural Gas.

Eastern Natural is one of several companies which has been canvassing for business in the Bolton area following the lifting of the British Gas monopoly on domestic gas supplies.

Some readers who had tried to cancel the service claim they were repeatedly given excuses about a computer error.

The investigation is to be launched after Ofgas received information "suggesting a breach of the new standard licence condition setting standards in relation to marketing".

It will focus on "sales in a particular area through one sales agency".

At the time of the BEN report, a spokesman for Eastern Natural Gas apologised and said: "We are concerned that all the complaints seem to imply that they believed they were signing an information leaflet and not a contract.

"We will be talking to the sales person who would have visited them.

"Unfortunately our computer did have an error in October which could have resulted in people being signed up instead of cancelled."

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