Dozens of 'Rag Mag' sellers have found that the joke is on them this week after the launch of a crackdown on unscrupulous practice.

Operation 'ave a laugh' - launched jointly by Blackpool police and the council's Trading Standards team - aims to tackle the rising number of people selling 'Rag Mag' joke books in the resort's town centre by illegally claiming the proceeds go to charity.

More than £900 worth of the magazines have been seized by police so far after they received hundreds of complaints about the "aggressive, persistent and intimidating" tactics used by dealers when selling the book.

The majority of victims complained they were targeted while walking round the busy shopping areas but many others said they were harassed while sat eating or drinking in cafs and pubs.

It is also believed that, in some extreme cases, sellers have used the magazine as a way of distracting many vulnerable and elderly victims while they commit other, more serious crimes such as pickpocketing.

Town centre community beat manager, PC Dave Thomas said: "Rag Mag sellers commit an offence if they do not declare to the buyer that the money goes to them as individuals.

"Also, if the seller tells the buyer that the money is going to charity when it is not, then they also commit an offence."

PC Thomas added: "The most common complaint has been that sellers are aggressive, persistent and intimidating causing the public, harassment, alarm or distress.

"Quite clearly this is unacceptable and as a result we have put in place an operation to tackle the problem."

Principal Trading Standards Officer, Tim Coglan said: "My best advice is that if members of the public wish to donate to charity, they do so through the proper channels and give no credence to strangers approaching them on the street."

The 'ave a laugh' initiative is being run as part of the larger Operation Summer Nights which aims to reduce anti-social behaviour during June, July, and August.