0:00:02 > 0:00:06Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Get down! Get down!
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- Get on the floor now! - Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:25 > 0:00:29It's just an ordinary house, it could be anywhere in the country,
0:00:29 > 0:00:34but this is the Fake Britain house and it's filled with fakes.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37You may not know it, but your home could be too.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39In this series, we'll be investigating
0:00:39 > 0:00:44the criminals trying to get their hands on your cash by using fraud,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47forgeries and fakery,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51and I'll be showing you how you can avoid being taken for a ride.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Today on Fake Britain,
0:00:54 > 0:00:56the fake fundraising web pages
0:00:56 > 0:01:00stealing money from those who need it most...
0:01:00 > 0:01:02I would want them to come and meet Elliot
0:01:02 > 0:01:05and see what opportunities they were taking away from him.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09..the fake horse passports putting young riders in danger...
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Dottie managed to buck the purchaser's grandchildren off
0:01:13 > 0:01:14and bolted in traffic.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18..and how a Fake Britain investigation led to
0:01:18 > 0:01:23a national recall of mattresses that were illegal and dangerous.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28This noncompliant furniture risks the lives of people in their homes.
0:01:28 > 0:01:29It's very, very dangerous indeed.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38We Brits are amongst the most generous nations
0:01:38 > 0:01:40when it comes to giving.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44A recent survey showed that more than three quarters of us
0:01:44 > 0:01:48made a donation to a good cause in a typical month.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52So, it's not surprising that people who really need to raise money
0:01:52 > 0:01:56turn to the public for help, and one family did just that
0:01:56 > 0:02:01to help fund life-changing medical help for their son.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05But, they were outraged to discover that their online
0:02:05 > 0:02:09money-raising efforts had been hijacked by the fakers.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Six-year-old Elliot Gower suffers from cerebral palsy
0:02:15 > 0:02:17and can't walk unaided,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21but, recently, his parents, James and Morwenna, have had news which
0:02:21 > 0:02:25has given them hope that Elliot's condition could be transformed.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Elliot has been selected by Great Ormond Street
0:02:28 > 0:02:33for a life-changing operation to remove the spasticity permanently
0:02:33 > 0:02:37in his legs that should enable him to walk, independently is what we hope.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41The procedure itself isn't funded, unfortunately,
0:02:41 > 0:02:42by the NHS at the moment,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45so we need to raise money to have that done, but one of the big aspects
0:02:45 > 0:02:49of what we're raising money for is his post-operative physiotherapy.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52He will need intensive physiotherapy for about two years after
0:02:52 > 0:02:55the surgery in order to make it fully beneficial.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Can you help me go shooting, Dad?
0:02:57 > 0:03:00For Elliot, the operation would be life-changing.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04He watches other children play
0:03:04 > 0:03:08and do all the things that normal children do
0:03:08 > 0:03:11and I think he really wants to do that,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15and we would do anything to give him that chance to do it.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21The family needed to raise just over £60,000,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25so they began to investigate what options were out there.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29We asked some charities if they would help us,
0:03:29 > 0:03:33but you can't be a charity for one person,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35you have to be a charity for a group of people,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38so Elliot didn't come into that category.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43So, we went down different routes of fundraising, like crowdfunding,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46which you can do through the internet and social media.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Crowdfunding is primarily used to raised money for business ventures,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54but it's become increasing popular for those seeking funding
0:03:54 > 0:03:56for good causes.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59The success of crowdfunding lies in its simplicity.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02If you want to launch a crowdfunded project, you pick your
0:04:02 > 0:04:07crowdfunding service, design your page and launch your bid online.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10If the public likes your business idea or charitable cause,
0:04:10 > 0:04:11they fund you.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Successful projects are usually funded by small
0:04:14 > 0:04:16contributions from many people.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20There are now over 30 crowdfunding sites based in the UK alone
0:04:20 > 0:04:24and they generate over a billion pounds for fundraisers
0:04:24 > 0:04:28seeking money for new ventures, gadgets, and charitable causes.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32'The Gowers set up their crowdfunding page, called
0:04:32 > 0:04:35'Operation Elliot, in just 24 hours.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39'They used a reputable crowdfunding website called Fundraise,
0:04:39 > 0:04:44'and, shortly after launching their page, they'd raised £1,800.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47'But, just a week after the launch,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50'the Gowers received an unexpected phone call.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:54And in the evening, we were sitting talking about how the day had gone
0:04:54 > 0:04:57and some friends rang up and said did we have anybody fundraising
0:04:57 > 0:04:59for us in America because they'd come across another site online.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05So we checked it out and then we discovered that, actually,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08there were four or five different sites using similar names
0:05:08 > 0:05:11using the same pictures that we were using on our site,
0:05:11 > 0:05:15information about Elliot...none of these were people that we knew.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19And we kind of got into a bit of a blind panic on that evening.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23The Gowers went online and were horrified to see
0:05:23 > 0:05:27eight different crowdfunding sites, some American, some British,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30appealing for money for Elliot's operation.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33The fakers had carried out a screen scrape,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37stealing Elliot's story and images from his own webpage
0:05:37 > 0:05:39and using them for their own gain.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42This is one of the copies.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44You can see it's the same information
0:05:44 > 0:05:46we used on the crowdfunding site.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48They raised 495...
0:05:50 > 0:05:52..money that hasn't come to Elliot.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55I think it's the pictures that are the hardest thing actually,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59reading some of the information they've got, they've copied directly
0:05:59 > 0:06:01and got spelling mistakes in, it's not quite right, but seeing
0:06:01 > 0:06:03some of our favourite pictures,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06like this one here of Elliot down on the beach,
0:06:06 > 0:06:07that's really hard to keep seeing that.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11We showed some of the fake Operation Elliot sites to
0:06:11 > 0:06:13the Fundraising Standards Board,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17who regulate charity fundraising in the UK.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Chief Executive Alistair McLean says what happened to Elliot
0:06:20 > 0:06:23is rare, but still a matter for concern.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24Crowdfunding's a new
0:06:24 > 0:06:28and very exciting platform for charities to raise funds,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31but, like all things, where there's opportunity like that,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33there's always a propensity for some fraud.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36If you are suspicious, do some research, see if they're members
0:06:36 > 0:06:39of the United Kingdom Crowdfunding Association.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41If it's a charity, it may well be a member of
0:06:41 > 0:06:43the Fundraising Standards Board.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Check to look for the Give With Confidence tick logo.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50The Gowers have managed to get some, but not all
0:06:50 > 0:06:54of the crowdfunding sites hosting the fake Operation Elliot appeals
0:06:54 > 0:06:58taken down, but the damage has already been done.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Hundreds of pounds of donation meant for Elliot's surgery have
0:07:02 > 0:07:05already been diverted into the accounts of the fakers.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Elliot's parents have since moved Operation Elliot
0:07:08 > 0:07:11to the JustGiving website, but they, understandably,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13remain angry about what's happened.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17I think if we did find the people who had been doing this,
0:07:17 > 0:07:18I would want them to come
0:07:18 > 0:07:20and meet Elliot and see what opportunities
0:07:20 > 0:07:23they were taking away from him, because I think if you met him and
0:07:23 > 0:07:26saw what a lovely little boy he is, what good fun he is, what good spirit
0:07:26 > 0:07:30he's got, that would really shame you for having done something like this.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39This is a horse passport.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44Every horse, pony and donkey in the UK has to have one.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48They were introduced in 2004 to prevent the sale of
0:07:48 > 0:07:52stolen horses, but this one is a fake.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55It was obtained fraudulently to beat the system
0:07:55 > 0:07:59and make money for the fakers, and we have evidence that
0:07:59 > 0:08:01plenty of other people are doing the same thing.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08Alexis Jacobson is a horse fanatic. She's ridden from an early age,
0:08:08 > 0:08:12and has enjoyed many happy years riding her own beloved horse, Oscar.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17But, as he got older and medical conditions arose,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19she decided he shouldn't be ridden so much.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Oscar was an elderly horse at the time, he was 18,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26he had been diagnosed with a back problem,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29which meant it wasn't ideal for him to be ridden often.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31We thought he might be in some discomfort.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35We decided that we would put him out on loan as a companion only.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38He would accompany another horse in a field,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40maybe be very lightly ridden, but no more.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Alexis found a woman willing to take Oscar on loan from her
0:08:45 > 0:08:49and she agreed to this, but some weeks after saying goodbye
0:08:49 > 0:08:52to him, she wanted to see how he was settling in.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55When she rang up the lady, however, she got no response,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57despite persistent calls.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Terrified something might have happened to Oscar,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06Alexis contacted Horsewatch, an equine crime prevention network.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Alarmingly, they'd had numerous complaints from other owners
0:09:11 > 0:09:14about the same woman doing the same thing to them,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18taking horses on loan and then losing contact.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21We thought the worst, so we were worried he'd either gone to
0:09:21 > 0:09:24an abattoir or been exported out of the country.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Alexis decided she'd do anything to find Oscar.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33I trawled through the internet looking at horses that had
0:09:33 > 0:09:35been advertised online.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40I posted on horse forums, we had articles in horse magazines...
0:09:40 > 0:09:44After four full years of searching, Alexis had a breakthrough.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48I had posted his photo on a horse group in Facebook,
0:09:48 > 0:09:53and someone got in touch with me to say that she recognised him
0:09:53 > 0:09:54and that she knew where he was.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58And when Alexis collected him,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02she discovered why she'd not been able to find Oscar for four years.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04At some point after she'd loaned him out,
0:10:04 > 0:10:08he'd been sold on using a fake horse passport.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Oscar originally had an Irish horse passport.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16He was imported from Ireland as an Irish sports horse.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19All the information in this passport is totally accurate.
0:10:19 > 0:10:26When Oscar was taken on loan, he was then issued with a new passport.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29This is a pet ID passport. As you can see, it's got "Sid."
0:10:31 > 0:10:33The fakers had applied for a new passport,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36but faked Oscar's vital statistics.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Not only had they altered his name, but also his breed,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41height and his age.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45This meant it would be almost impossible to trace him
0:10:45 > 0:10:48and, crucially, he could be sold as a younger, fitter horse
0:10:48 > 0:10:50for more money.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51OSCAR SNORTS
0:10:51 > 0:10:55He then was ten years younger than he actually was,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58and, obviously, much more appealing to prospective buyers.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Alexis discovered what had happened to Oscar
0:11:02 > 0:11:04over the four years he'd been missing.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09He went through a horse dealer, then was sold to a riding school,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12so was being ridden in a riding school for a year...
0:11:12 > 0:11:13it was just really heartbreaking.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17To get a horse passport,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20your application must be signed off by a vet, but it's difficult
0:11:20 > 0:11:24for them to be sure of the age or provenance of a horse.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28It's not helped by the fact there are 75 different issuing bodies
0:11:28 > 0:11:33for the passports, with different standards and no central register.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Alexis and Oscar's case is by no means unique.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42This is Delightful Dottie, a British spotted pony.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46She was recently bought for £670 by a family in Devon who wanted
0:11:46 > 0:11:48the right ride for their granddaughter.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55Dottie was sold at Exeter horse sale. She was described as quiet to ride,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58excellent in traffic, lovely on and off the lead rein,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00and a real sweetie.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03But, soon after the granddaughter started riding,
0:12:03 > 0:12:04there was a serious problem.
0:12:06 > 0:12:13She actually managed to buck the purchaser's grandchildren off
0:12:13 > 0:12:16and bolted in traffic with her daughter.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19The family decided that, following that incident where the grandchild
0:12:19 > 0:12:22was thrown off, it was too dangerous to try and ride Dottie,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24she's not used to being ridden, so it was unfair on the pony
0:12:24 > 0:12:27and the grandchild to carry on trying to ride her.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Maria soon found out why the problem had come about.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36She'd had other complaints about the stables that had sold
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Dottie to the family, Quarrystone Stud.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Searching the stables, she found a number of horse passports,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46including one for Delightful Dottie, and one for a very similar
0:12:46 > 0:12:50looking horse with a very different name, Darcy Starlet.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54In reality, they were one and the same pony.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Darcy Starlet was Dottie's real name.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03So, this passport here is the genuine passport for this pony.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05This details all of the pony's breeding,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09all of her prior information, her date of birth, her previous keepers.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12This passport is the passport that was fraudulently
0:13:12 > 0:13:15applied for, for Delightful Dottie.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18The details inside the passport are different.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23It only details her name, her height, that she's a mare.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26We have no details at all about her date of birth.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30She was 23 when she was sold, whereas, verbally,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32she was sold as being 14.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36In fact, she was totally inappropriate to be sold for riding.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Dottie had only ever been used as a brood mare
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and bred foals for 17 years of her life.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45The person that owned Dottie before had never actually broken
0:13:45 > 0:13:49her in, she had never had a bit in her mouth, or a saddle on her back.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52The owners of Quarrystone Stud were found guilty of fraud
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and other offences.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56They were sentenced to six months imprisonment,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00suspended for two years, and ordered to pay costs and compensation.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Roly Owers is from the charity World Horse Welfare.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09He thinks the UK horse passport system is a mess.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13We know that through a survey we ran last year where 20% of
0:14:13 > 0:14:17horse owners said they had passports with irregularities in them.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20We know that one passport issuing organisation
0:14:20 > 0:14:24issued 7,000 passports after they were closed down
0:14:24 > 0:14:30and, with at least 75 issuing organisations in the UK with
0:14:30 > 0:14:32very, very different standards
0:14:32 > 0:14:36and no central register or database, it's a complete fraudster's paradise.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42Alexis, however, is just pleased to have Oscar back safe and sound.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44He's really well-rested, relaxed,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48and can live out the rest of his retirement days really happily.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Pet ID Equine, the company that issued the passports
0:14:52 > 0:14:55in both cases, told us they were issued when...
0:15:01 > 0:15:03They said...
0:15:14 > 0:15:16They said they've echoed Roly Ower's call...
0:15:25 > 0:15:27We thought that dangerous flammable furniture was
0:15:27 > 0:15:31a thing of the past, thanks to tough British safety standards.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36But it turns out we were wrong, because Fake Britain's found out
0:15:36 > 0:15:42that top retailers have been selling illegal and dangerous furniture.
0:15:42 > 0:15:43Are you sitting comfortably?
0:15:47 > 0:15:50In a special Fake Britain programme shown previously,
0:15:50 > 0:15:54we were alerted to serious concerns about the fire safety
0:15:54 > 0:15:57of some furniture on sale in the UK.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Trading Standards alerted us to a case in West Yorkshire where an
0:16:00 > 0:16:04independent retailer was prosecuted for selling unsafe furniture.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Maria Houston purchased two dream sofas from a branch
0:16:08 > 0:16:10of the independent retailer in Bradford.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18These two couches were absolutely stunning.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price as well.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25But when the sofas arrived, Maria was unhappy with the quality
0:16:25 > 0:16:30and the service she'd received, so she contacted Trading Standards.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Officers in West Yorkshire began examining
0:16:32 > 0:16:34the type of sofa she'd bought.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38They had no idea what they were just about to find out.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41We decided that we had real concerns about the safety,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43so we visited the premises,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45and we seized a sofa.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47We submitted it to our testing service here,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51who carried out the testing on the furniture.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55To see if sofa foam complies with the UK fire safety regulations,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57the law says it must be tested like this.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01A small wooden crib is ignited and, if the sofa is safe,
0:17:01 > 0:17:02it should catch fire.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15But when Trading Standards tested the sofa they'd seized,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17they made a shocking discovery.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20It failed the test and it didn't just fail it a little bit,
0:17:20 > 0:17:21it failed it very badly.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28What you can see is that, having lit the crib,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31it's already flaming away and what should happen is the crib
0:17:31 > 0:17:35should go out, but this is untreated foam, so...
0:17:35 > 0:17:37it's away.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41After just two minutes, the fire had escalated dramatically.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44That would be out of control in a house.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48It had what the test house described as accelerating ignition,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51which, to you and me, would mean a fireball.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Had it been in a house near some curtains, it would have been
0:17:54 > 0:17:57a massive ignition source and it would have burnt the house down.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03Maria's sofas were never tested, but she's worried they may be unsafe.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06We showed her the test footage.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08It's unbelievable.
0:18:08 > 0:18:09God!
0:18:10 > 0:18:12If my grandkids were here and we had a fire,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14you just think the worst, don't you?
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I'm gutted.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20The consequences could be real danger
0:18:20 > 0:18:24for anybody, not just me and my grandkids, or my nieces and nephews.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Anybody.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28The independent retailer she'd bought them from
0:18:28 > 0:18:30had five shops in Yorkshire.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34They were successfully prosecuted and fined.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Both Maria's sofas, and those purchased by Trading Standards,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40carried fire resistant labels claiming that
0:18:40 > 0:18:42they met the UK regulations.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46With at least the tested sofa, we know this claim was fake...
0:18:47 > 0:18:49..and it wasn't the only one.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52We caught up with Northampton Trading Standards prosecuting
0:18:52 > 0:18:57a furniture distributor for also selling unsafe furniture.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01They tested one of UK Sofa Distribution Ltd sofas
0:19:01 > 0:19:04and the tests found that the foam filling didn't meet
0:19:04 > 0:19:05the fire safety standards.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Northampton Trading Standards say noncompliant furniture is
0:19:10 > 0:19:11a big problem for them.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16So, over the last three years, we found quite a high failure rate
0:19:16 > 0:19:20of the furniture that we have sampled and had tested.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24Um, it's in...about 50% or above,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28we've found have not complied with the relevant legislation.
0:19:28 > 0:19:34UK Sofa Distribution Ltd were fined £4,000 plus £5,500 costs
0:19:34 > 0:19:37for contravening the Consumer Protection Act.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41The company's accountant Brian Pound told us it can be hard for
0:19:41 > 0:19:44suppliers to police products coming in from abroad.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49It's not as easy as it looks to comply in this industry.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Just because it comes in with a label that says that it's fit,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54doesn't mean it's fit.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57In the last two months alone,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00we've turned away probably one and a half lorry worth
0:20:00 > 0:20:02of furniture which we've looked at and said,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05"Well, actually, we don't think that's up to the standard
0:20:05 > 0:20:06"that we need to comply to."
0:20:07 > 0:20:11It should be inconceivable that any sofa sold in Britain today
0:20:11 > 0:20:14could fail the legal tests, because, in the 1970s and '80s,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17after a series of deadly fires,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21laws were passed to help protect us from dangerous furniture.
0:20:25 > 0:20:26SIRENS WAIL
0:20:26 > 0:20:28In May 1979,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32a fire broke out in Woolworths in the centre of Manchester.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Fire crews arrived to find smoke billowing
0:20:34 > 0:20:37from the six-storey building.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Can everybody here move away from the building? Urgent!
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Bob Graham was one of the senior fire officers who
0:20:44 > 0:20:45responded on that day.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51What first struck me on arrival is the intensity of the fire,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54and the amount of smoke that was coming out of the building.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57It was tremendous
0:20:57 > 0:21:01and there were approximately 500 people in the building
0:21:01 > 0:21:03at the time the fire started...
0:21:03 > 0:21:05so you can imagine the confusion.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09The situation turned to horror as people were
0:21:09 > 0:21:12trapped behind bars in an office at the rear of the building.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16They were trapped and the fire was spreading across the floor,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20they couldn't open the door onto the remainder of the fire floor, cos
0:21:20 > 0:21:24they would have been killed instantly by the heat that was in there.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29The urgent thing there was to get the bars off the window
0:21:29 > 0:21:30and to get the people out,
0:21:30 > 0:21:32and the crews did that very efficiently.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35The firemen went inside to reassure the people that they were
0:21:35 > 0:21:38going to be safe and, gradually, they were brought down to the ground.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Elsewhere in the building, ten people lost their lives
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and 47 were injured.
0:21:47 > 0:21:53The coroner at the inquest said anyone who was on the second floor
0:21:53 > 0:21:57three minutes after the fire started was unlikely to escape.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59That's how fast the fire grew.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Investigating the incident, Bob Graham soon discovered that
0:22:04 > 0:22:07furniture was at the heart of the disaster.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09He became a leading figure in the campaign for
0:22:09 > 0:22:12tougher fire safety regulations
0:22:12 > 0:22:15and was awarded an MBE for his work.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19We reconstructed what was in Woolworths, set fire to it,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22and monitored the effects.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23And that showed us that
0:22:23 > 0:22:27the furniture was the main contributor to this fire.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29The Woolworths fire took ten lives.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34There were another 700 at that time dying in their own homes
0:22:34 > 0:22:36throughout the UK.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Campaigners persuaded the government to change the law,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and now manufacturers are obliged to make furniture using
0:22:43 > 0:22:47fire resistant foam and materials in order to protect us.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52'Chief fire officer Paul Fuller from Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
0:22:52 > 0:22:55'is the president of the Chief Fire Officers' Association'
0:22:55 > 0:22:57and an expert in fire prevention.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03In 35 years in the Fire Service, I've seen the devastation
0:23:03 > 0:23:06caused by fires of all sorts and it is never a good thing.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11It is worsened if the materials that are inside rooms
0:23:11 > 0:23:17burn more readily, such as noncompliant furniture.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22Paul knows just how dangerous a fire involving this furniture can be.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25The catastrophic effects are demonstrated by this
0:23:25 > 0:23:27living room fire test carried out before
0:23:27 > 0:23:29the regulations came into force.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Very, very quickly, the room in which that furniture is
0:23:34 > 0:23:37involved will become completely uninhabitable.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41You can't breathe, you can't see, it's too hot,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45you can't find your way around and you're choking to death.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50Noncompliant furniture risks the lives of people in their homes.
0:23:50 > 0:23:51It's very, very dangerous indeed.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Coming up, how our investigation revealed
0:23:58 > 0:24:01catastrophic fire safety failings
0:24:01 > 0:24:04in mattresses sold by high street retailers.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07It would be so hot and so full of smoke and gas
0:24:07 > 0:24:09that it would be unsurvivable.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13In only about six minutes, it would be a terrifying place to be
0:24:13 > 0:24:17trapped in those probably last few minutes of survival.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Many children dream of mastering a musical instrument like the piano
0:24:28 > 0:24:32and their dedicated parents can spend up to £50 an hour
0:24:32 > 0:24:36on piano lessons week in, week out for years.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Even though it's Largo, which is slow,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41you need it just a fraction quicker.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44To help their child achieve their musical ambitions
0:24:44 > 0:24:46and go from sounding like this...
0:24:46 > 0:24:48SHE PLAYS TUNELESSLY
0:24:48 > 0:24:49..to this.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51PIANO MELODY PLAYS
0:24:51 > 0:24:54All that effort for an official certificate that says,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56"You're now pitch perfect."
0:24:56 > 0:24:59But what if that certificate was a fake
0:24:59 > 0:25:01and not even worth the paper it was printed on?
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Among the hills of Lisburn in Northern Ireland,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09a seemingly perfect piano teacher was putting
0:25:09 > 0:25:12local budding musicians through their paces.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Claire Thompson was a music graduate,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18she was a qualified teacher, she was a very highly regarded teacher,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20and she'd worked in a local music college
0:25:20 > 0:25:24here for some years before beginning to teach privately.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25So, for all intents and purposes,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28she was a highly regarded person in the community.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33But Claire Thompson was not all she seemed.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36She would end up betraying her young students and their parents,
0:25:36 > 0:25:40like this mum, who was looking for the best musical education
0:25:40 > 0:25:41for her daughter.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44My daughter was showing great talent in music
0:25:44 > 0:25:49and we decided that we'd send her to lessons.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53She was getting the results up to grade 4 and getting great marks.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58After nearly two years of being taught by Claire Thompson,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01the big day finally arrived for the young pianist...
0:26:01 > 0:26:07her grade 5 piano exam, which was to take place in a local church hall.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12So far, so good, but it was what happened after the piano exam
0:26:12 > 0:26:15that made the student's mum suspicious.
0:26:15 > 0:26:16I said, "How did it go?"
0:26:16 > 0:26:19And she says, "It was really good, actually."
0:26:19 > 0:26:24She said that the examiner was able to tell her that she'd passed
0:26:24 > 0:26:28and that they all went out for lunch afterwards, had a great chat
0:26:28 > 0:26:29and it was all very nice.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32And I kind of just thought,
0:26:32 > 0:26:36"Well, that was really a little bit strange." Any of the exams
0:26:36 > 0:26:41that they'd had before, it was very formal, very serious,
0:26:41 > 0:26:47and, you know, they would never had been told the result on the day.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51As it turns out, she wasn't the only parent who was concerned.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54The police service of Northern Ireland was starting to
0:26:54 > 0:26:57receive phone calls from a number of parents
0:26:57 > 0:27:00suspicious about their children's music exams.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02'They felt that there was something wrong with the exams.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04'Some of the families hadn't received certificates'
0:27:04 > 0:27:08and they had made enquiries with the examining
0:27:08 > 0:27:11boards to see where the certificates were and what the hold up was.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15And, when they made those enquiries, it became clear that the children
0:27:15 > 0:27:18were not registered with the examining body, nor was the teacher.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Realising they could be dealing with a serious fraudster,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28the police began to spread the word amongst local concerned parents.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32I phoned the next day the London College of Music
0:27:32 > 0:27:37and to be told, "Yes, unfortunately, your daughter doesn't have
0:27:37 > 0:27:41"grade 5 piano," and that she wasn't registered.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44'So, all of a sudden, a bomb had kind of dropped.'
0:27:44 > 0:27:48After all the hard work, she didn't have anything to show for it.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52The London College of Music is the largest specialist music
0:27:52 > 0:27:55and performing arts institution in the UK.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58It's part of the University of West London, which was,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02until recently, known as Thames Valley.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06The college is one of a small number of official examining bodies
0:28:06 > 0:28:09authorised to award graded exams in music.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Claire Thompson's students thought they'd be getting
0:28:12 > 0:28:15official certificates from the London College of Music,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18but for those few students who did eventually
0:28:18 > 0:28:21get their certificates, something wasn't right.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24The London College of Music was actually very helpful to us
0:28:24 > 0:28:26during the whole process.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29They came to Northern Ireland, they looked at the certificates,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33and they were very quickly able to say that the certificates
0:28:33 > 0:28:35we had in our possession were fake.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40With fake certificates now in their possession, the police had
0:28:40 > 0:28:44all the evidence they needed to search Claire Thompson's house.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47During that search, the computer was seized,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50a music diary was seized, some personal documentation,
0:28:50 > 0:28:56and certificates in various states of preparation.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00Amongst the documents seized were a fake London College of Music
0:29:00 > 0:29:05scoring chart and the fake certificates themselves.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08The middle document is the most important document
0:29:08 > 0:29:11for the investigation, because it is the fake music certificate
0:29:11 > 0:29:14that was passed to the families by Claire Thompson.
0:29:14 > 0:29:19As you can see, it's a fairly professional and impressive looking document.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21The police had enough hard evidence to bring
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Claire Thompson in for questioning.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Claire Thompson's demeanour generally was calm and collected
0:29:26 > 0:29:29as she denied any dishonesty whatsoever.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33Claire Thompson had even duped the examiners of the tests,
0:29:33 > 0:29:35telling one of them that they were doing a mock exam
0:29:35 > 0:29:37under strict exam conditions,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40while the students thought they were doing the real thing.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44Thompson was brazen enough to fake the tests in a church hall
0:29:44 > 0:29:47that turned out to be just opposite the police station where
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Inspector Johnston was working.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53In court, Thompson eventually pleaded guilty
0:29:53 > 0:29:57to 14 counts of fraud by false representation
0:29:57 > 0:30:01and two further counts of using a false instrument.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03She was given a two-year probation order.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07But although she was brought to justice, this is
0:30:07 > 0:30:12a story of fakery that's ended on a sad note for one of her victims.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16My daughter stopped playing piano two years ago
0:30:16 > 0:30:21and has never touched the keyboard there since...
0:30:21 > 0:30:23and that is sad.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28You'll get bigger frauds, you'll get more complex frauds,
0:30:28 > 0:30:29you'll get victims, you know,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31probably even more vulnerable victims,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34old people or disabled people, but this impacted on the children
0:30:34 > 0:30:38and that's what left a bad taste in my mouth about this investigation.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45Whilst music exam fraud is rare, it is happening elsewhere.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49Fake Britain's uncovered other cases across the country, including
0:30:49 > 0:30:54that of a fake examiner, which is currently under investigation.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Before your child takes their music exam, you can check
0:30:57 > 0:31:01with the awarding body to make sure the examiner is registered
0:31:01 > 0:31:04and the exam itself is genuine.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13In our special report on furniture safety,
0:31:13 > 0:31:16we revealed how sofas sold on Britain's high streets
0:31:16 > 0:31:19dramatically failed fire safety tests,
0:31:19 > 0:31:23proving claims about them meeting fire safety standards were fake.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25But it didn't end there.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27As we were investigating the sofas,
0:31:27 > 0:31:31we were told about the existence of equally dangerous noncompliant
0:31:31 > 0:31:35mattresses that were being sold by major high street names.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39Here in Lancashire, bed manufacturer Silentnight
0:31:39 > 0:31:42have their own in-house test lab
0:31:42 > 0:31:46and carry out regular fire testing of all the products they sell.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49They demonstrated to us the importance of a safe mattress.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53There are products out there, which...
0:31:53 > 0:31:57really are a death trap in the consumer's home and, frankly,
0:31:57 > 0:31:59that has to be a concern, has to be a worry.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02That kind of product we've got to stamp out of this market.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06We joined them at Lancashire Fire and Rescue to see how
0:32:06 > 0:32:10a safe and legal mattress should behave in the event of a fire using
0:32:10 > 0:32:13one of their products as a demonstration.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17To simulate what would happen in the event of a house fire,
0:32:17 > 0:32:19the rest was set up like a real bedroom.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22We are going to use a wooden crib
0:32:22 > 0:32:24as the ignition source...
0:32:24 > 0:32:27which we will place on the centre of the mattress and, basically,
0:32:27 > 0:32:29set fire to it.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31The ignited crib burns steadily.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35Despite the crib falling over, the foam filling of the mattress didn't
0:32:35 > 0:32:39catch fire and, after two minutes and 44 seconds, the fire died out.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44The wooden crib took between two to three minutes to burn out,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46so that's a compliant mattress.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51They then brought in what they suspected was an illegal
0:32:51 > 0:32:56memory foam mattress for testing, purchased from another bed supplier.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58If it had been treated for flammability,
0:32:58 > 0:33:02it shouldn't catch fire, but, if the mattress were to fail the test,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04it would be an illegal product.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07The label, however, stated it was a legal mattress.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14The crib on the safe mattress burnt out at two minutes and 43 seconds.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16After the same amount of time,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19fire had taken hold of the suspect mattress.
0:33:22 > 0:33:23After nearly six minutes,
0:33:23 > 0:33:26the mattress fire had filled the room with toxic smoke.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31More than half of all house fire fatalities
0:33:31 > 0:33:33are caused by smoke inhalation.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40Less than a minute later, the room had been engulfed by flames.
0:33:41 > 0:33:42The window exploded.
0:33:43 > 0:33:44GLASS SHATTERS
0:33:44 > 0:33:49The carpet, the curtains and the bed had been destroyed.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52The fire reached, approximately, 1,000 degrees.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58At nearly 11 minutes, it was an inferno.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01The small camera that we'd been using to record a closer shot
0:34:01 > 0:34:03was a little too close to the fire.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06The fire officer rescued it from the heat of the blaze.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12And then a fire and rescue service officer stepped in to
0:34:12 > 0:34:16extinguish the fireball as it had reached an unsafe level.
0:34:32 > 0:34:33Clearly, in that situation,
0:34:33 > 0:34:37if there had been people in that property, then, very clearly,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40there would have been a very, very strong risk of fatalities.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44It would be so hot and so full of smoke and gas,
0:34:44 > 0:34:45that it would be unsurvivable.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47In only about six minutes,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50it would be a terrifying place to be trapped...
0:34:50 > 0:34:53in those, probably, last few minutes of survival.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57We were shocked that, despite tough regulations,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00furniture like this was available.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04We then went on to investigate dangerous mattresses further
0:35:04 > 0:35:06by seeing what we could buy ourselves.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11We decided to conduct our own tests.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16In December 2013, we bought a series of rolled memory foam mattresses by
0:35:16 > 0:35:20Ventura sold under the brand name Sleep Secrets from leading
0:35:20 > 0:35:23online and high street retailers.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26We bought samples of their Sleep Secrets Cool Gel
0:35:26 > 0:35:30and Napoli memory foam mattresses from the Argos, Homebase,
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Tesco Direct, and Amazon websites,
0:35:32 > 0:35:38with prices ranging from £140 to £300.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40We then took our mattresses to FIRA,
0:35:40 > 0:35:43the Furniture Industry Research Association test lab
0:35:43 > 0:35:44in Hertfordshire.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47It's one of the UK's leading testing centres
0:35:47 > 0:35:50and they were able to test whether the mattresses were up to standard.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54One of their experts, Steve Cotton,
0:35:54 > 0:35:58carried out crib tests on samples of the foam from the mattresses.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06The Sleep Secrets Comfort Cool Gel memory foam mattress
0:36:06 > 0:36:08we bought from the Argos website
0:36:08 > 0:36:11was ignited using the crib test.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13The foam ignited and burned steadily.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Very quickly, it represented a serious risk.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23After two minutes and 39 seconds,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25Steve switched on the fire extinguisher.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30The mattress had failed.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34This meant Argos was selling an illegal product in the UK.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40Because the foam's actually failed, it's not legal to be
0:36:40 > 0:36:45sold as any part of furniture, whether it's a chair or a mattress.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48The foam's actually illegal for furniture use in the UK.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51Next was the Sleep Secrets Cool Gel memory foam
0:36:51 > 0:36:53single mattress from Homebase.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00The mattress foam ignited.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05It wasn't long until it reached the limit.
0:37:05 > 0:37:06The blaze was extinguished...
0:37:08 > 0:37:11and this mattress had also failed the test.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15As a result, Homebase was also selling an illegal product.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19If it was the entire mattress and it was to catch light,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22due to the rate that the flames would develop and spread and the amount
0:37:22 > 0:37:25of smoke produced, it would make it very difficult for anybody to escape.
0:37:25 > 0:37:30Next to be tested was a Sleep Secrets 15cm Celsius Cool Gel
0:37:30 > 0:37:33memory foam mattress we bought from Tesco Direct.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37The crib was ignited again and, yet again...
0:37:37 > 0:37:40our test showed frighteningly quick acceleration of the fire
0:37:40 > 0:37:44representing a real danger in the consumer's home.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47The mattress had failed.
0:37:48 > 0:37:53Tesco Direct was also selling an illegal product on their website.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59Next was a Sleep Secrets 18cm Napoli mattress
0:37:59 > 0:38:01purchased from the Amazon website.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04This was the fourth and final mattress we tested.
0:38:07 > 0:38:08It also failed.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Shockingly, our investigation had revealed that Argos, Homebase,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Tesco Direct and Amazon were each selling
0:38:24 > 0:38:26an illegal product in the UK.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31We spoke to Jessica Alexander from the National Bed Federation
0:38:31 > 0:38:33to find out exactly how this could have happened.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37In the last few years, because of the recession,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40we've seen more manufacturers perhaps try
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and cut corners in order to reduce their prices.
0:38:43 > 0:38:48And, therefore, we do feel it has become more of an issue for consumers
0:38:48 > 0:38:52to be taken in by products which aren't quite what they say they are.
0:38:54 > 0:38:55CAMERA SNAPS
0:38:55 > 0:38:59All of the Sleep Secrets mattresses we'd bought had been made in China.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02They all carried fire resistance labels.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05So, to check out the authenticity of the labels,
0:39:05 > 0:39:09we took them to the British Standards Institution.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11This label conforms with the British Standard.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14This label is fake.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Anybody who knows anything about
0:39:16 > 0:39:19the labels should have noticed there was a problem.
0:39:19 > 0:39:20We look at these two labels.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23If we measure this one, it should be 15mm by 15mm.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29It should be a white background with blue border around it
0:39:29 > 0:39:32and it should have the word "resistant" written across the
0:39:32 > 0:39:37blue border in white lettering, which should be at least 5mm in size.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Any writing and diagrams that are on the label should
0:39:41 > 0:39:44appear in the white box and should all be black.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46This one is considerably smaller.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49As you can see, it's less than 15mm by 15mm.
0:39:50 > 0:39:56Um, the blue pictures are wrong, um, the size is wrong,
0:39:56 > 0:39:58and the use of this number here is wrong.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04It would appear that no-one at Argos, Homebase, Tesco Direct
0:40:04 > 0:40:05or Amazon had noticed.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08After the broadcast of our special report,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11the mattress supplier, Ventura Corporation,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13which owns the Sleep Secrets brand,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16set up their own investigation about what went wrong.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18They told us that their Chinese suppliers
0:40:18 > 0:40:22had wrongly given them a quantity of mattresses that met European
0:40:22 > 0:40:25fire regulations but not UK ones.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28That's because British fire safety standards on furniture are
0:40:28 > 0:40:31far more stringent than those in the rest of Europe.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35Unbelievably, this was not picked up on by the British Standard
0:40:35 > 0:40:39approved test houses Ventura had been using in China.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41It might sound surprising that British safety checks
0:40:41 > 0:40:43are being carried out abroad,
0:40:43 > 0:40:47but with the massive growth in products made in China and elsewhere
0:40:47 > 0:40:52for the UK market, it's a situation that's become increasingly common.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Ventura told us they've now moved their fire safety testing to
0:40:55 > 0:40:57an approved UK laboratory.
0:40:57 > 0:41:02They said at no point had they knowingly sold fake goods.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Our reports clearly had an effect.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08Product recalls were issued by both the Ventura Corporation
0:41:08 > 0:41:12and the Home Retail Group which owns Argos and Homebase.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Any customers that had bought affected products were
0:41:14 > 0:41:16offered a replacement.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20Both organisations said they'd received a strong response to this.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22They said they were very sorry for any concern
0:41:22 > 0:41:24the issue may have caused.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27Tesco Direct said, following their own investigation,
0:41:27 > 0:41:30they were no longer selling Ventura mattresses because they were
0:41:30 > 0:41:34not satisfied the mattresses met Tesco's high standards,
0:41:34 > 0:41:38and Amazon said they had an established process in place,
0:41:38 > 0:41:39which enables third parties,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41including rights holders to provide them
0:41:41 > 0:41:45with notice of infringements or noncompliant products,
0:41:45 > 0:41:47and respond rapidly to any such notice,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49including removing items.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54The mattress industry is taking the problem seriously.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58They've recently launched a new code of practice for manufacturers
0:41:58 > 0:41:59to sign up to.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02Consumers can go onto the Bed Federation website where
0:42:02 > 0:42:07a full list of members along with their certification is published.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Check that's current and that will be additional reassurance
0:42:11 > 0:42:15that they are buying from producers who take the regulations
0:42:15 > 0:42:19seriously and ensure that their products are safe.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23Despite the supplier and retailer's actions after our report,
0:42:23 > 0:42:27the fact remains that Argos, Homebase, Tesco Direct,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31and Amazon had been selling illegal furniture in the UK.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34This shocks a leading campaigner in fire safety who thought
0:42:34 > 0:42:38this problem had been solved over 25 years ago.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42To find that people are selling hazardous furniture to the
0:42:42 > 0:42:44general public...
0:42:44 > 0:42:47particularly when they have a reputation...
0:42:47 > 0:42:49I mean, that's reprehensible.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54The whole purpose of the regulations were to
0:42:54 > 0:43:00drive down the risk of fires killing people in their homes.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03To go back to that would be completely heinous
0:43:03 > 0:43:06and we've got to do everything we can to ensure that we don't.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.