THE Football Association has suspended Chippenham Town's divisional rivals Hereford "from all football activity" after the club "failed to comply" with orders laid down by the Independent Regulatory Commission's Owners' and Directors' Test.

Hereford were expelled from the Conference Premier in June over their unpaid football debts and have since been playing in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division.

The club's majority shareholder, Alan McCarthy, had been charged with acting as an officer of Hereford without written confirmation from the FA to do so.

A statement released by the FA said: ''Having failed to comply with the orders of the Independent Regulatory Commission, both Hereford United and Alan McCarthy are suspended from all football and football activity with immediate effect.

"The club and Mr McCarthy, Officer of Hereford United FC, were ordered to fully and correctly comply with their obligations under the Owners' and Directors' Test Regulations by 4pm on Thursday 4 December 2014.

"Following consideration of a document submitted by the club, the Independent Regulatory Commission gave the parties until 4pm on Monday 8 December 2014 to submit further documentation to satisfy the orders of the Commission.

"Having failed to provide the requested further documentation by the deadline, both Hereford United and Mr McCarthy shall remain suspended until such time as the order of the Independent Regulatory Commission has been complied with to the satisfaction of the Commission."