Seized fake brands given to the poor

SEIZED fake goods worth more than £45,000 have been donated to an international charity.

Oldham Council’s trading standards team seized thousands of fake designer items, including clothes, bags, trainers, jewellery, sunglasses and DVDs, from shops, markets, car boots sales and homes.

Brand names copied include Adidas, Nike, D&G, Juicy Couture, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Oakley, Timberland, Ugg and Chanel.

Goods seized must be disposed of once the offenders have been dealt with, but Oldham Council decided to donate the items to the International Aid Trust after removing the fake brand details.

The Preston-based charity works in the UK and in more than 40 countries across the world helping thousands of people in poverty.

Councillor Dave Hibbert said: “Rather than putting them in an incinerator we thought it would make more sense to donate boots and tracksuits to charity. They will be shipped overseas and given to those in need.

The Rev Bernard Cocker, the charity’s founder, said: “Recipients will include refugees from the fighting in Ukraine and Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone. We are so happy and appreciative about the donation as these items will be going to help people in dire need - the poorest of the poor, who can’t even afford to buy second-hand clothes.