A new web-based consumer watchdog to condemn and praise local and national businesses has been launched by a Wandsworth woman.

Diane Lewis-Cole, of Carmichael Mews, founded consumerpatrol1 after fighting for 18 months to get a refund after a kitchen firm left her with badly fitted doors.

Users can report a company's bad service and their experience of how the firm dealt with them. They can also highlight incidents of good service.

Ms Lewis-Cole said she set up the website after BBC's Watchdog refused to investigate her complaint because not enough people had contacted the programme.

She said the website would not be a witchhunt but about "quality of service" when complaints were made.

"If a business is not performing, people can make their own mind up. So much money, time and energy is used up in making complaints, people need to know about the companies which handle it poorly and well."

Visit www.consumer

patrol1.com or email consumerpatrol1@aol.com for details.

January 30, 2003 11:00