Merseyside cooker manufacturer Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, which supplies cookers under the Stoves brand and is a sister company to Morphy Richards, is being investigated by police as a result of allegations of major fraud at the factory.
Police are looking into claims that possibly millions of pounds went missing at the company between 2007 and 2010. The investigation is currently being handled by local detectives, but according to the Liverpool Echo is likely to be taken over by the Economic Crime Team, which specialises in accounting fraud, in the next few weeks.

Merseyside police said: "We can confirm we are investigating following an allegation of fraud. At this point, there have been no arrests."

The company, which is nearly 100 years old, was called Stoves before being taken over by the Irish multi-national Glen Dimplex Group a decade ago. It now supplies cookers under the Stoves, Belling and New World brands, and fridges and freezers under the Lec brand, and employs around 1,000 people.

Privately-owned Glen Dimplex is the world's largest electrical heating business, with a multitude of brands, including Goblin, Redring and Morphy Richards, the latter based in Mexborough, South Yorkshire.