Warning issued over safety of counterfeit goods after haul of fake products worth thousands of pounds seized.

A haul of counterfeit goods has been seized, with authorities raising concerns over public safety in the run-up to Christmas due to breaches of trading standards.

The goods, which were seized from a storage facility in Chester-le-Street, are estimated to be "worth tens of thousands of pounds".

The "luxury designer goods" included clothing, trainers, bedding and perfumes.

In total, two large vans of items were confiscated including fake designer goods making unauthorised use of many well-known trade marks, including Nike, Adidas and Gucci.

The items came to light as part of an ongoing investigation by Durham County Council, which calculates it confiscated over 1,500 items believed to breach the Trade Marks Act 1994.

A spokesperson said: "Counterfeiting is far from being a victimless crime, having an impact on jobs in the legitimate manufacturing and retail sectors. The trade in counterfeit goods can also be linked to other organised crime.

“Counterfeit goods can pose safety problems for consumers, with goods such as toys, cosmetics, electrical equipment and chargers, not being subjected to testing and not manufactured to meet safety standards."

Authorities are also concerned counterfeit items may have already been purchased on the many independent online shopping platforms now available.

The spokesperson added: “Sales via the internet and social media are popular with consumers seeking bargains for Christmas. We would urge the public to check out the retailer and only buy from reputable sources to avoid the risk of disappointment of poor quality and potentially unsafe goods being bought as gifts."