COMMUNITIES across the world look likely to benefit from a haul of counterfeit goods collected in Middlesbrough.

Council officers contacted specialist charity His Church, based in Cambridgeshire, to see if they would like the goods to send to Africa and other parts of the world which have suffered from natural disasters or conflict.

Like many trading standards services and police forces, Middlesbrough Council was faced with the dilemma of what to do with the mountain of clothes, shoes and fashion accessories recovered from illegal traders.

The goods had either been seized after the offenders were dealt with by the courts or were voluntarily surrendered after the trader was discovered using internet auction sites.

In the past, the goods have been destroyed, but when one court order instructed the council to use the goods for the needy, officers decided on a rethink.

The His Church charity will take the counterfeit goods and remove any branding before reworking the clothing into useable garments. They then plan to send them out to other countries.

If the brand name cannot be removed, the item will be destroyed and the cloth used as filling material.

Richard Humphrey, of His Church, said: "It is great that we have these goods. We work with trading standards all over the country and get so much that would normally go to waste.

"These goods that we have got from Middlesbrough will go to Liberia. Many people there have never had anything, so it is nice for them to get things of good quality."

Barry Coppinger, council executive member for community protection, said: "Although counterfeiting of goods is a serious problem affecting the economy and legitimate business, the goods seized or surrendered are still new and worth salvaging after the brand has been removed.

"This agreement will ensure the goods are not destroyed, but will benefit those communities around the world who simply require reasonable clothing after enduring extreme hardship."