SINCE Time Computers collapsed earlier this year, all sorts of rumours and theories have been flying back and forth.

Lots of commentators have had their say on what lay behind the firm's dramatic demise.

And many of the 580 workers who lost their jobs at Time's Simonstone plant in August have a story to tell about the company's fall from grace.

But today the respected consumer group Which? has spelt out just why the company may have struggled - its computers had the worst reputation in the industry.

A survey by Which? has revealed that almost a third of Time computers bought this year have already needed repair, compared to one in 10 computers bought from leading brands like Apple, Dell and Sony.

Oliver Pawley, a senior researcher at Which?, said: "The brand seemed to be pretty poor in terms of reliability and service - it is no surprise they went under."

It's not something which surprised local expert Anthony Capstick either, who said: "Time has been historically placed at the lower end of customer support and satisfaction surveys."

Only last month, the Evening Telegraph revealed how the company had faced scores of county court judgments from unhappy customers.

And we reported last week how the Department of Trade and Industry had called on the Companies Investigation Branch to launch a probe into the conduct of the firm's directors.

The way bosses treated staff in the final days of the firm is inexcusable.

And the real reasons the company started to tumble even more so.

Because it's one of first rules of business - if the product is poor and the service is shabby, you are not going to last. And Time didn't last.