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Hundreds of celebrities claim they face bankruptcy after officials demanded repayments of up to 20 times the amount invested in a tax avoidance scheme.

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and ex-England managers Sven-Göran Eriksson and Glenn Hoddle are among 780 investors who paid £2.2billion into Eclipse.

Despite the claims, there is no evidence any of the named investors are in financial difficulties nor any suggestion that they knew how the scheme was managed.

The Times newspaper reports that the scheme worked through a complex process involving buying and renting back Hollywood ­blockbusters to studios.

(Image: ITV) (Image: Getty)

An investor placing £200,000 in one scheme, for example, is expected to face a tax bill of between £2million and £4million on the income. They would have 90 days to pay it back.

Investors in Eclipse Film Partners No 35 LLP collectively bought rights to Disney films Enchanted and Underdog before sub-leasing them back in a deal with the studio.

Other people named in the report include ex-Newcastle United footballer Nolberto Solano and ex-Sainsbury's chairman Sir Peter Davis.

Adviser Nick Wood, who represents Eclipse users, claimed that of those involved, up to 700 would go bankrupt.

He added: “I think there will be people potentially jumping off bridges.”

Eclipse is expected to seek a judicial review of the HMRC decision. There is no suggestion the schemes are illegal.