Schoolchildren have been asked to blow the whistle on fraudsters peddling fake goods in the run up to London 2012.

Surrey County Council Trading Standards has sent teaching packs to Surrey secondary schools to help pupils identify counterfeit goods, including sports equipment, clothing and merchandise.

The youngsters have been asked to report any fakes they find as part of National Consumer Week, which also highlighted the sale of fake tickets for sporting events.

People from Walton, Hindhead and Dorking recently bought Olympic tickets unofficially, with a combined value of almost £1,500.

On realising their mistake they contacted the sellers, but struggled or failed to get a full refund.

Councillor Kay Hammond said: “Fraudsters may see the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a golden opportunity to cash in but we’re determined to do everything we can to stop them ripping people off.

“Teaching school pupils how to spot fakes and the consequences of buying them will help.

“These are not victimless crimes. The sale of fake goods damages legitimate businesses in Surrey and doesn’t provide value for money for customers.”