Thousands of illegal goods seized by the authorities over the past three years, including counterfeit alcohol, cigarettes and designer clothes, are set to be destroyed.

Around 4,500 of illegal or dangerous items locked away at county hall in Aylesbury over the past three years must be disposed of to make way for items seized by Trading Standards in 2019.

Where possible, clothing will have the fake brands removed so they can be reused by charities, however if that isn’t possible, or something is dangerous, the goods will be destroyed.

Among the goods taken away for destruction is a £250 hoverboard which was bought by officers for testing after a similar model caught fire and injured a High Wycombe mum in 2015.

Shortly after the terrifying incident Trading Standards officers seized two consignments of dangerous imported hoverboards.

Several hundred boxes of “dangerous” skin lightening cream containing high levels of mercury seized from small shops across the county will also be destroyed.

Cabinet member for community, engagement and public health and Bucks County Council, Noel Brown, said: “The amount and value of the illegal and dangerous items seized represents the tireless work by our Trading Standards officers to keep our residents safe from unscrupulous traders."

Charity, Sports Traider, will remove the goods for re-use or destruction.