UK LAPTOP specialist Rock Group Plc has gone tits up.

The remains of the firm appointed Deloitte & Touche LLP as administrators today. The has-beencounters said they would work with the management of Rock to "attempt to secure a sale of the business as a going concern".

According to a notice pinned to the door of the firm's web site, Rock ran into cash flow difficulties faced "as a result of stock misappropriation by a former employee".

Suppliers had subsequently reduced credit limits, and in the end Rock had to throw in the towel.

The role of entertainment firm Rok in whole the Rocky affair is a bit obscure. Rok bought a controlling interest in Rock back in November, but seems since then to have kept its wallet well shut.

It is said to have stepped in to pay off some of Rock's Taiwanese suppliers at the last moment, according to our sources, but failed to inject the necessary readies to keep Rock afloat.

Up to twenty people were laid off from Rock HQ today leaving a skeleton staff sitting around the phone.

Rival box-shifter Novatech has been sniffing through Rock's bins we hear, interested in picking up the brand, perhaps. µ