A NATIONAL charity is warning people in Lancashire to beware of fraudulent collectors.

The Air Ambulance Service has recently received several reports of a hoax charity, simply calling itself ‘Air Ambulance Service’, sending out collection leaflets encouraging people to donate items such as clothing.

Chief executive Andy Williamson said “Christmas donations of money and clothing are crucial to our service and yet we now have to worry that criminals are distributing bogus bags that try to fool people into thinking they are giving to us when they are not.”

The charity needs to raise more than £3 million every year to keep each of its services running.

TAAS is in discussion with the Police and Trading Standards about the rogue leaflets.