ANYONE who's ever been duped into buying dodgy or disappointing goods will know the heady euphoria of finding a bargain, swiftly followed by the frustration and anger at being conned.

Richard Lawrence had this exact experience when he bought what he thought was a top-of-the-range Walkman at an auction for £65, only to find out it was worth just half that.

In fact, after spending two-thirds of his wife's 22nd birthday money on the "bargain" at a one-off electrical sale in Worcester, the Lowesmoor man "went home and wept".

"I was gutted," he said. "You get caught up in the thought of getting a bargain but, once you leave, you can't believe how stupid you've been."

Over the Christmas period, however, Delboys up the ante and, this year, Trading Standards across the country have also upped the stakes, targeting the three Ds.

The Dodgy, the Disappointing and the downright Dangerous.

"The rogues and conmen celebrate Christmas their way - by cashing in on the festive rush at the expense of members of the public who are working to a budget," said Bryn Aldridge, chairman of the Trading Standards Institute.

"Sometimes the resulting purchases can be disappointing - shoddy goods which fall apart or don't work. At other times, it's even more serious and, as recent seizures of contaminated alcohol show, can be dangerous to your health.

"Trading Standards professionals are particularly busy at this time of year, trying to make sure that as many of these items as possible are removed from the shelves and out of harm's way."

Counterfeit videos and DVDs are a problem all year round but, in Worcestershire, there have been reports that some are actually damaging the players, often quite expensive models.

"It is therefore advisable to ensure that you purchase such products from reputable retailers because there you have more rights under the Sales of Goods Act if there is a problem," said Paul Whitehouse, divisional manager at Worcestershire Trading Standards.

"Officers keep a close eye on the county's car boot sales, but always welcome extra information."

Counterfeit Kirov vodka, laced with high levels of methanol, has been in the media glare over the past few months. And, in the run-up to Christmas, Worcestershire Trading Standards also warns revellers that the spirits they buy from pub shelves might not be the ones they are expecting.

Officers have just completed a survey in conjunction with their partners in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire and Warwickshire, and found that, in eight of the 90 pubs and restaurants, spirits including Gordon's gin, Smirnoff vodka and Bacardi rum had been substituted for inferior, cheaper brands.

Although tests performed on spirits sold by 19 Worcestershire pubs found they were unadulterated, trading standards officers are warning people to be on their guard.

"Obviously in the majority of cases there was nothing to be concerned about because the brands on the shelves were the ones being served to customers," said Mr Whitehouse.

"But, where licensees are deliberately substituting cheaper brands for the best sellers, we would be keen to investigate further and prosecute if necessary."

Worcestershire Trading Standards has also received many calls about the use of children's scooters.

"It is only permitted to use them on private land, and although in most cases this is evident on the product itself, sales people are often not briefed on this and tell consumers otherwise," said Mr Whitehouse.

"It is therefore advisable to think carefully before purchasing a scooter, ensuring that the person you are buying it for will have the space to use it."

Christmas candles are also a cause for concern.

"We have had reports of some candles being sold that have proven to be dangerous - this is now under investigation by our officers," he said. "Our advice is to be careful and avoid buying really cheap candles.

"Although there are strict regulations surrounding the production of candles, it's an area that can potentially cause serious accidents, especially in the period around Christmas when they are being used in table decorations."

Christmas turkeys are also under investigation by Shropshire Trading Standards Service, which is checking on water content.

While regulations limit the amount of water allowed in frozen chickens, no such laws apply for turkeys.

David Walker, chief trading standards officer of Shropshire County Council, said the law applying to turkeys should be brought into line with chickens.

"Then, any bird with a water content higher than that which is technically required to chill that bird hygienically will have to be declared.

"In the meantime, our message is if you don't want to spend money on extra water in your turkey, buy a fresh or air-chilled bird."

For more information, visit www. worcestershire.gov.uk/tradingstandards or call an advisor on 01905 765373.