POLICE today issued a theft warning after reports that a Father Christmas and two snowmen were carrying out a fake charity collection.

Detectives are investigating the door-to-door collectors who have been wearing fancy dress and using a vehicle covered in Christmas decorations and fairy lights in the streets of Blackburn.

They claimed to be raising money for Blackburn Orphanage, in Whalley New Road, but when questioned by one resident they fled on their makeshift sleigh.

The charity and Blackburn with Darwen Council, which has a register of genuine charity collectors, said they were unaware of the collectors and a church minister slammed them for taking the spirit out of Christmas.

One woman, who handed over £1.50 to the group, said she opened her front door to a boy aged 12 or 13.

The woman, from Feniscowles, who does not want to be named, said she was then approached by two people dressed in full snowmen outfits carrying buckets to collect cash and saw a Father Christmas sitting on a the back of a trailer attached to the Jeep-type vehicle waving to youngsters in the street.

She said: "They were really beautiful snowmen but I couldn't see their faces at all.

"The sleigh was really authentic but I was suspicious that they drove off after I had asked who they were collecting for. "I'm worried about the fact that they are making money pretending to be somebody they're not - it's not on"

The woman said a family across the road had been approached by the group and had donated money.

Secretary of the charity's Orphanage Cup Football Competition Peter Bush, condemned the actions and said any genuine fundraisers would have got permission from the charity first.

He said: "It is very dubious. We have not given anybody permission to go door to door collecting for the Blackburn Orphanage and we want to let people know we are not associated with these people in any way shape or form.

"It is very worrying because you hear about people being ripped off all the time. There are a lot of senior citizens who don't want to be pestered. There's no safety for anybody who opens their door. Fund-raisers for the orphanage never do door to door calls."

Father Jim McCartney of St Anne's Church, in France Street, Blackburn, said he was appalled.

He added: "There are so many vulnerable people out there. Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and giving. It's dreadful how they've gone out pretending to be somebody they're not and taken the whole spirit out of things."

A police spokesman said they had received a similar complaint shortly after the first woman had reported the bogus fundraisers.

He said: "We would also urge homeowners to check the identification of any strangers who visit their home. These people appear to be acting illegally and if they are not they are acting without permission. I would urge them to stop."

People with information can contact Blackburn police on 01254 51212.

Picture: The real Santa, who has nothing to do with the scam.