"WE wish you a counter-feit-free Christmas" - that's the message from the Worcestershire Trading Standards officers who are on the trail of fake goods.

Coun Derek Prodger, county council cabinet member for the environment, said: "If people buy counterfeit goods, they have no guarantees about the product's safety and no rights if something goes wrong. I would implore people to buy genuine goods from local traders to both avoid disappointment and also help strengthen our local economy."

To avoid unwittingly buying counterfeit goods Trading Standards offers the following advice: * Shop at established retailers rather than from someone selling out of a suitcase in the high street * Examine any items you are thinking of buying carefully. Poor-quality labels and packaging on perfumes and cosmetics can often indicate that the items inside are not genuine * If you are buying CDs, DVDs and pre-recorded audio cassette tapes, be wary of any with poor-quality inlay cards, no artist name on the cassette label or disc face and no outer cellophane wrapping. CDs that are not silver will be copies. Also look out for CDs, DVDs and videocassettes without security holograms and with photocopied rather than printed labels Anyone who has any concerns goods on sale can contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.