Motorcyclists have been put on alert after hundreds of lethal "safety" jackets were found on sale.

The 350 counterfeits - bearing Ferrari Yamaha, RedBull and Honda logos - were seized at a West End clothing store.

Westminster council officials who seized them said that in a crash they would have offered "little more protection than a cotton shirt".

A genuine motorcycle jacket has padding made of high-density foam, rubber or plastic that can withstand a skid along a road for up to seven seconds.

When the fakes were tested at the Transport Research Laboratory they the padding was found to be of "flimsy" foam and the jackets fell to bits in under half a second.

They were imitations of garments costing about £200 but were on sale for £150. The shop and its owner have not been named. The shopowner was given a Home Office caution and signed an agreement promising not to sell the jackets again.

Daniel Astaire, Wesminster's cabinet member for community protection, said: "It is shocking that some people are prepared to put lives in danger in the name of making a quick buck."

Sergeant Mick Wallace, of the Metropolitan police's BikeSafe London team, said: "I've never seen anything of such poor quality being sold as a genuine motorbike jacket before. Whether you ride for fun or as a professional, my advice is that if you see an offer that's too good to be true, it probably is."

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