PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has called for more powers to crack down on bogus charities that are conning people over their donations.

Mr Prentice called on the Government to take action to stop such companies operating "outside the law".

It is estimated that genuine charities lose out on some £3 million pounds with some commercial collectors, who don't need a licence, selling donations after passing themselves off as charitable organisations.

Mr Prentice called for the Home Office, the Office of Fair Trading and the Charity Commission to establish a review to ensure law enforcement officers can take the maximum possible measures against collection companies that deliberately act in a dishonest way.

The MP said: "Christmas is a time when people think of giving to charity and we don't want to be conned.

"I have raised this issue with ministers and Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, has provided some reassurance, most notably that the law has been tightened to deal with donation theft.

"This is good news, as instances of collectors stealing clothes left outside for legitimate charities are growing.

"But commercial collectors, who don't need a licence, frequently pass themselves off as charitable organisations and then sell the items they have collected.

"They can be reported to the Charity Commission, but, as we all know, they are probably long gone before checks are made. The government needs to be doing more to crack down on them."