PEOPLE throughout East Lancashire have been warned to beware of bogus charity collectors who promise to donate cash to a hospital baby unit before pocketing it for themselves.

The warning comes after a conman tried to sell a "Street Wise" magazine to a plain clothes policeman, claiming that 94p of the asking price would go to a special care ward.

But magistrates heard that the sales pitch, used in Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley, was a total sham and half the money went into the collectors pocket.

Neil Standage, prosecuting, said the other half went to the man producing the magazine, named as Blackpool-based Tom Corry, who was running a team operating as far away as the Midlands.

But Mr Corry today distanced himself from the selling techniques of his agents and claimed he was simply a businessman out to make a living, although he admitted that in his opinion the magazine he sells is not worth the £1 asking price.

"At the end of the day if people are prepared to give me £1 for it there is nothing wrong with that," he said.

Benjamin James Driscoll, 20, of Burlington Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to attempting to obtain £1 by deception and three specimen charges of obtaining £1 by deception from members of the public. Blackburn magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

Mr Standage said Driscoll and a number of young people had been driven from Blackpool to Blackburn by Mr Corry. He had supplied them with magazines and identification badges which, ironically, urge people to contact the police if anyone other than the person pictured is selling the magazine.

"The bottom line is that not one penny goes to charity and this is simply a money making scheme," said Mr Standage. "When the defendant was arrested he had £92 in his pocket. Having just told PC Mick Dixon that the money was going to charity he then admitted there was no special care baby unit and that he would be keeping his half and handing the rest over to Thomas Corry." "Driscoll told police that he and others had been used regularly by Mr Corry to sell the magazines in towns including Blackburn, Burnley and Accrington," said Mr Standage.

"Obviously a great deal of money is being handed over by the public and it is important they know this has nothing to do with charity," PC Dixon later said. "The magazine is classed as a periodical and because of a previous court ruling the sellers do not have to be licensed. They only commit an offence if they deceive the buyer into thinking that some of the money is going to a good cause."

Mr Corry, 30, said he had nothing to hide. He said he sells magazines for a living, using agents who sign contracts to the effect that they will not use charitable causes as a selling point.

"After Ben was arrested in March I told him he would not work for me again," said Mr Corry. Mr Corry claimed that at one time he had made regular donations of £500 a month to a special care baby unit but the Charities Commission had suggested reference to this in the magazine was misleading.

" I removed it from the magazine and stopped making the donations," said Mr Corry. "Now it is just a magazine I sell for £1 as a profit making businessman. Any reference to charities is down to the sellers and nothing to do with me."

The Charity Commission for England and Wales advises people to make sure their money is going to a good cause.

They encourage the public to ask the collector to give details of how the charity can be contacted direct and ask to see a written agreement to collect money on behalf of the charity.

"If in any doubt contact the local authority or the police," added a Commission spokesman.