Trading standards chiefs today warned bargain hunters not to buy furniture from illegal gipsy sites in Bradford.

Gipsies who had set up a furniture and carpet sale in a private car park off Cemetery Road, were forced to move off yesterday after being served with an enforcement notice.

West Yorkshire Trading Standards officers warned items bought at such sales might not meet current safety standards.

The gipsies moved on to the car park at the former Byworth Fabrics building in Cemetery Road at 2.15pm on Sunday. By yesterday afternoon a sale notice was up at the entrance and three piece suites and rugs were on display But the vans were back on the road after a legal notice was served on them.

Similar sales have also been held at illegal camps on Canal Road and the former Asda store site at Tong Street/Manchester Road.

Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Trading Standards officials said they had not been involved in serving yesterday's notice.

But West Yorkshire Trading Standards officer Paul Cooper said he was concerned that the furniture they were selling may not comply with modern safety standards, including flammability.

He also warned that people may be paying several hundreds of pounds with no guarantees in return and no way of tracing the sellers.

Bradford Council and the Chamber of Commerce has published leaflets telling firms how to tackle groups who illegally occupy their land.

Companies face big bills if they take out court injunctions to force invaders to quit and the cost of cleaning up the camps can run into thousands of pounds.