TRADING standards officials have found large numbers of businesses in Bradford selling Hajj packages for those embarking on a pilgrimage next month cannot guarantee customers' cash.

Now West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service staff will be going into mosques to warn the Muslim community of the need to take care and book through a reputable travel agent.

Trading standards officials in the county carried out checks in Bradford and Huddersfield on businesses selling Hajj packages to see whether they could guarantee customers' money was protected.

The work was carried out using funding from the national trading standards body and offiicers found only half complied fully with package tour regulations.

Main problems included firms supplying packages without an ATOL licence, or offering another trader's ATOL bonded packages without an agency agreement in place. The ATOL bond means customers' money is protected if the firm runs into financial trouble.

Other issues included supplying inadequate details of itineraries and flights and failing to notify travellers of the need for adequate insurance.

The mosque visits will be used to advise residents about how to check they are getting the correct service before paying for their trip and also to listen to concerns about potentially rogue companies.

The Hajj, which this year takes place in October, is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia and is the largest gathering of Muslim people in the world.

Advice from trading standards is to ensure the travel operator used is ATOL protected and to get written confirmation of travel arrangements.

All travel agents providing packages for the Hajj, or the smaller Umrah pilgrimage, also need to be accredited by the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia and registered with the Ministry of Hajj, which is responsible for visitors once they have arrived in the kingdom.

Bradford Councillor Val Slater, chairman of the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Committee said: "Hajj is an incredibly important occasion for all Muslims, but sadly there are some unscrupulous businesses out there that are willing to exploit members of the community.

"We are advising anyone making the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this year to make sure they are protected by booking their travel through a legitimate operator. We will also be visiting mosques with a specialist officer, so anyone who has been reluctant to come forward and complain about previous incidents can talk to us discreetly and in confidence."

David Lodge, head of West Yorkshire Trading Standards, added: “Rogue travel operators who deliberately flout consumer protection legislation can expect to be prosecuted.”