A BUSINESSMAN who refused to pay a phone bill of more than £5,000 after his computer was infected by a rogue dialler has been cut off and says he could be facing ruin.

Lee Smith, who owns General Domestic Appliances in Peel Street, Maidstone, was sent a phone bill for £5,700 in the summer.

The sum was caused by a rogue dialler which changed the number dialled by his modem to an overseas number charged at £2.50 per minute.

This week Telewest cut off the service in a move Mr Smith says could ruin his business.

He said: "We offered to pay part of the bill to resolve the situation and asked that in return Telewest tell us information about the number so we can try and track it down.

"We are just a small family business and we cannot afford to be cut off. If this continues I don't think we will keep afloat for more than a month or so."

Telewest spokesman Rebecca Tyrer said: "Rogue diallers are an increasing problem and we have now put in place several measures to deal with them.

"Unfortunately as the calls have been made Telewest has to pay so we do have to recoup the money. We cannot discuss individual cases in detail but we are working to resolve the problems with his bill."