Warrington Trading Standards would like to warn residents about dangerous fake designer hair straightening irons.

Among the look-alike irons being sold are counterfeit versions of the top-rated ghd brand’s Hot Pink irons, a limited edition product sold in October this year to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month. Other styles GHDs are also known to have been counterfeited. The genuine articles are on sale for £100 to £155, but the counterfeit ones are being offered from anywhere between £60 and £100.

The fake stylers look just like the real thing, including holograms and packaging, and experienced Trading Standards Officers need to check with GHD to confirm if these are genuine or not. Tests have shown that these fakes are made from poor quality materials and with little or no thought to consumer safety. Those buying counterfeit ghd stylers risk electrocution due to poor quality construction and lack of safety checks on the products.

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Police are warning residents to be on their guard after a 92 year old lady was victim to a distraction burglary.

The incident took place in the Orford area of Warrington on Monday 15 December 2008 between the hours of 10:00am and 6.40pm

A white male called at the address in Orford claiming to be from British Gas and on the pretence that her gas fire was unsafe he entered the property. He distracted the lady by explaining that he would return the following day to replace the gas fire if she contacted Warrington Borough Council. Whilst she was distracted a second person entered the house and stole £100 from an upstairs bedroom.

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Police are warning residents to be on their guard after a man claiming the need to get into a house in Thelwall, Warrington to investigate a gas explosion stole a quantity of money. The elderly residents asked to be shown identification but the man claimed it was an emergency and that his ID was in his van.

The man is described as between 5ft 8 and 5ft 10inches, of mixed race, with a stocky build and as having bad teeth. A second man working with him is of similar height with short fair hair and a fair complexion. He was wearing jeans and a black jacket.

The incident took place around 11.30am on 4 December 2008.

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Trading Standards are investigating the attempted sale of fireworks by a man going door to door in the Orford area of Warrington.

If you are approached by anyone offering fireworks in suspicious or unusual circumstances please ring 08454 04 05 06

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It has been brought to the attention of Trading Standards that a home shopping catalogue is advertising can and bottle crushers for sale on the basis that these items must be crushed before going into the new blue recycling bins.

Warrington Borough Council would like to make it clear that this is not the case and only recommends that these items are crushed but it is not necessary.

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