HUDDERSFIELD people have been warned to beware of the clothing conmen.

The warning came from West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service and Consumer Direct Yorkshire and the Humber.

It follows hundreds of calls from West Yorkshire people who have received leaflets from a company asking for bags of unwanted clothes and other goods.

The leaflet, titled 'CLOTHING COLLECTION', says representatives will be calling to collect the bags. It says the collection company provides people in Third World countries with clothes for their families.

The leaflet also claims that the company provides jobs in these countries, business for UK exporters and employment in UK factories grading the clothes.

Last month the Examiner exposed the clothing racket.

Our reporter, Adrian Sudbury, tracked a coat given in Huddersfield through Europe to a market in Ukraine - when it should have been destined to be given away to people in the Third World.

Trading watchodgs say the company registration number listed on the leaflets does not check out with Companies House.

Also, there are no business details, such as name, address or contact number on the leaflet.

Some months ago West Yorkshire trading standards officers stopped a van at Tingley, near Wakefield. It was full of second-hand clothing, footwear and linen.

The flyers attached to the bags, similar to the ones now being distributed in the district, asked for donations.

Graham Hebblethwaite, West Yorkshire's Chief Trading Standards Officer said ''I would urge people who wants to give unwanted items to do so with recognised organisations or charities, to prevent these individuals from profiting.

"Anyone wishing to report such an organisation should do so by contacting Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06."

Kirklees councillor Tony Brice, a member of the trading standards committee, said: "Consumers should be on their guard when receiving leaflets through the door.

"Always check that the person you think you're doing business is exactly who they say they are.

"Registered charities and similar organisations do such good work and benefit immensely from local door-to-door collections of clothing and similar household goods.

"It's a shame that unscrupulous traders try to mimic these genuine operations, so depriving worthy causes of valuable income."