ST HELENS Council's Trading Standards officers are tackling a 'shady' problem in partnership with the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Together they are launching a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of faulty sunglasses. Aimed at all age groups, from the very young to pensioners, it will highlight the importance of looking after your eyes.

And Trading Standards officers have issued the following vital advice:

Don't look directly at the sun.

Always wear your sunglasses, if the sun is strong enough to give you a tan.

A hat with a brim is also a good idea -- baseball caps are ideal but with the brim facing forward.

Sunlight bouncing off water or snow is even stronger so make sure you protect eyes while on the beach or skiing.

Light colour eyes need more protection than darker ones.

Light is stronger in the middle of the day so take extra care.

Strong light can penetrate clouds.

And, when buying sunglasses, always:

Look for the CE mark. This shows that the shades meet European safety standards.

Look for the special label that says they block out 99 per cent to 100 per cent of UV-A and UV-B which are harmful to eyes. Wearing sunglasses that don't block out these rays can be worse than not wearing any at all.

Look for sunglasses that are close fitting as they help stop light getting round the edges -- wraparound shades and large lenses are good too.

Plastic lenses are often better than glass ones and are harder to break.

Don't be fooled by the price -- more expensive shades might be more fashionable but don't usually give more protection.

Brown, amber and grey lenses usually give better protection than other colours.

Dark-coloured sunglasses don't necessarily protect you better. It's a special coating on the lens that makes them safe, not their darkness.