A SWANSEA councillor is being investigated by police after his firm allegedly bounced a £2,000 cheque.

Alan Jopling's Pegasus Coach Tours is being probed by officers in Torquay after a hotel boss complained Penyrheol councillor Mr Jopling had bounced a cheque meant to pay for a tour staying at the hotel.

Mr Jopling said he had withdrawn the cheque in a dispute over the quality of service, a claim dismissed by the hotel.

But Mr Jopling confirmed the business had gone under, and that the administrators had been called in.

He said: "All the jobs have gone. Telling my staff they were losing their jobs was the hardest thing I have had to do in my life.

"All the creditors are going to be written to in due course.

"It's up to the administrators what happens next."

Pegasus Coach Tours has been operating since 2006, and is based in West Street, Gorseinon.

Last month, the firm had arranged for 22 people to stay for five nights at the Torbay Court in Paignton. Jo Travis, who runs the hotel, said she had no option but to call in the police.

She said: "The £2,232 is an awful lot of money for a family business like mine to be without. I have reported the matter to the police."

A cheque signed by Mr Jopling was sent to the hotel on December 3.

Miss Travis said: "The cheque was deposited at our bank straight away. We did not hear any problems, so the tour went ahead as planned."

But, in the midst of last December's postal strike, Miss Travis said the cheque was belatedly returned to her, on December 15 — four days after the coach party had left. Stamped on the cheque were the words "please represent".

She tried to resubmit the item, but Miss Travis's bank, Clydesdale, said the cheque had not cleared.

Mr Jopling said he was disputing the service he had received.

He said: "We complained about the standard of food and entertainment.

"I explained I would be withdrawing the cheque until the matter was resolved."

Miss Travis denied the claims, and said she had tried to contact Mr Jopling, but with no success.

She said: "His mobile number is dead, as is Pegasus Tours' landline number.

"We even went to Swansea and knocked on his door, but there was no answer.

"I would have liked to speak with Mr Jopling to settle the debt. But as I have not been able to do that, there was little choice but to phone the police."

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the force was investigating matters concerning a financial dispute involving a hotel in Paignton with a travel firm from South Wales.

The spokesman said inquiries were in the "very early stages".

Government business agency Companies House has confirmed Pegasus Coach Tours was in the process of being shut down.

Mr Jopling — who now lives and works in Nantwich, Cheshire, three days a week — blamed the recession for his businesses going under.

Despite the turmoil, the qualified pilot insisted he would remain as a councillor for Penyrheol.

He said: "I have done quite a lot for the community.

"There are hundreds of jobs being created in Gorseinon between the Valeo development and the Asda store."

ben.wright@swwmedia.co.uk