REPORTS of bogus poppy collectors in town and in St Brelade have caused upset and disappointment to the appeal organisers.

Appeal co-ordinator Pat Jackson is urging the public to ask to see an official identification card if they are approached on their doorstep by someone selling poppies. That advice also goes to shopkeepers who have poppy collection boxes or buckets which are regularly collected or emptied by a courier from the charity.

Mrs Jackson said that she had received a report from a resident in St Brelade that he had become suspicious when someone called at 7 pm with a tray of poppies. ‘He asked the collector where the appeal’s depot was this year, and when the person replied that it was the same as usual he knew they were not genuine because our temporary headquarters are in a different location,’ she said.

Further concern was caused to the organisers when someone claiming to be a courier to collect poppy appeal funds from a supermarket in St Helier called in during the lunchtime instead of at the end of the afternoon as usual.

Pictured: Princess Anne visited the temporary Poppy Appeal headquarters at Sunset Nurseries on Thursday