An independent travel agent suspected of conning hundreds of customers has been charged with fraud and money laundering.

Lyne Barlow was arrested in September 2020 after a probe into claims surrounding discount holidays.

Her travel business has since been dissolved and its social media pages have been deleted.

The 39-year-old woman from Stanley, County Durham, is due before Newton Aycliffe magistrates on 5 September.

She will answer 18 counts of fraud relating to loans, investments and holiday sales.

Durham Police said she faced a further charge of money laundering, totalling more than £1.6 million.

Several hundred alleged victims have come forward, the police added.