ROGUE charity collectors selling scratch cards have been outlawed in Bolton town centre.

A police operation has been mounted to drive unscrupulous collectors from the streets after shoppers claimed some of the men had "manhandled" them.

Police chiefs decided to act after women shoppers complained the collectors had harassed them in an attempt to sell cards.

The collectors being targeted in the crackdown have not been authorised by Bolton Council.

The police operation is being mounted in conjunction with Bolton Council's environmental services department. Only this week the police team involved in the operation interviewed two men selling scratch cards offering a holiday for two in Florida as a prize.

Anyone buying one of the cards was told the draw would be made in April 1997 and the winners would be published in a national newspaper.

The men, when interviewed by a police officer, confessed that only a "contribution" of the money they raised would actually go to charity.

They also had so far not contacted any newspaper. PC Alan Oakes, Bolton town centre beat officer, today warned shoppers to be on their guard.

He said: "People should be aware that the council will only authorise collections where 100 per cent of the proceeds collectors make go to charity.

"The true charity collectors will have identity cards."

He said: "We are not prepared to allow any shopper in Bolton to be intimidated in any way.

"People should be able to walk through the shopping area without feeling threatened

"Anyone who has any suspicions about people collecting money in the town centre should contact the police."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.