BOGUS companies are targeting businesses in north Durham with a health and safety scam.

Derwentside District Council said it has received dozens of complaints from companies which have been sent requests for payment to make sure they comply with health and safety law.

The scam involves three firms from north-west England writing to businesses in north Durham, demanding between £125 and £249 to ensure small businesses comply with health and safety law.

So far, they have targeted hairdressers, care homes, factories and warehouses.

Derwentside council's environmental health officer, Vicki Jackson-Hopps, said: "We had a similar problem last year with bogus firms demanding money to register under the Data Protection Act. Now it seems to have moved onto health and safety.

"Our advice to a business that receives one of these letters is just to bin it and get in touch with us. All health and safety information is available on free leaflets from the council or the Health and Safety Executive."

A Liverpool firm calling itself the Health and Safety Enforcement Agency has demanded £125 for a health and safety compliance pack.

Another outfit, the Health and Safety Compliance Agen-cy, of Manchester, says a health and safety compliance register became law on May 1 and that businesses should apply for registration, with a fee of £129.25.

A third company, the Health and Safety Registration Enforcement Division, which gives a Rochdale address, tells recipients to pay £249 for health and safety registration.

Justin McCracken, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) deputy director general, said:

"None of these companies is connected to HSE. Organisations should be very wary of any approach from these firms, or any company offering similar services.

"All three firms use wording suggesting they are official enforcement bodies, but they are not."

The council is working with the police, HSE and trading standards officials to investigate the firms involved.

Anyone receiving literature from the companies is advised to contact either Derwent-side's environmental health team on (01207) 218311, or the Trading Standards Consumer Advice Centre on 0845 3303313.