A DISCOUNT electrical shop appeared to have ceased trading yesterday, after visits by police and trading standards officers.

Four officers from Durham Police and Darlington Trading Standards visited the shop, which does not have a name, in Northgate, Darlington, after concerns were highlighted in The Northern Echo over so-called bargains on offer.

The officers confirmed they had collected information, and that investigations were ongoing.

Leaflets were also produced to warn potential customers about such sales. Since the shop appeared on Monday, customers had queued for each of the twice-daily sales, which said they offered bargains such as shavers for £3 and mobile phones for £20.

But yesterday, the store did not open, and appeared to be empty.

After visiting one of the sales earlier this week, The Northern Echo discovered it appeared to breach the Mock Auctions Act 1961, which protects customers against illegal trading.

Customers complained to police, trading standards and The Northern Echo, saying they had not received what they paid for.

Five watches, with a supposed retail value of more than £400, were bought at the shop for £90.

However, a jeweller consulted by The Northern Echo called them rubbish and valued them at about £15.

After consulting trading standards guidelines, The Northern Echo found evidence that the sale was a "mock auction":

l Stock was offered extremely cheaply and was billed as liquidation goods.

l Free gifts were given to members of the public viewing the auction, a practice defined by Trading Standards as being illegal at such a sale.

l Customers were charged £5 to qualify to buy items.

l Anyone who left after the sale had begun could not return.

l Lots were introduced one by one, despite claims that it was not an auction, and could only be bought when the seller said so. He chose who the items were sold to.

l People paid money for empty boxes, or goods other than what they believed they were buying -Tuesday's Northern Echo featured complaints from customers who said they paid £60 for a games console, camcorder and camera, but were only given the camera.

l Trading Standards also say a mock auction "preys on the vulnerability of consumers to hysteria selling", which was created at the sale by offering limited numbers of bargains, including personal stereos for ten pence.

Nigel Green, the manager of Darlington Trading Standards, said officials were monitoring the shop and reminded customers to beware of offers that seemed too good to be true.

Customers with complaints are asked to call Trading Standards on (01325) 388799.