YOU could face six months in prison, be fined £3,000 or both if you sell faulty second hand goods, Southampton Trading Standards warned today.

The stern message from the local consumer champions comes after the successful prosecution at the city's magistrates court of Frank Devlin - found guilty of selling a kettle and toaster with electric faults from his shop Woolston Pavilion in Victoria Road, Woolston, Southampton.

Southampton Trading Standards officers uncovered the faulty items after making an unannounced visit to Mr Devlin's premises.

Similar visits are made to dozens of similar outlets each year and officers say they will not hesitate in taking shopkeepers to court if caught selling faulty goods.

A Southampton Trading Standards spokesman said: "Some owners of second-hand businesses will try to avoid paying a couple of pounds to have a safety test carried out on a second-hand item but if they end up in court a couple of pounds seems very trivial.

"A lot of the people who visit second- hand shops are on low incomes and among the most vulnerable people in society. To sell customers faulty goods that could, in the worst cases, kill them is a very grave offence and will be punished.

"It is important that anyone considering making a purchase of a second-hand item should be aware of possible electrical faults like an ill-fitting plug or a loose flex. You may think there is nothing wrong with the physical appearance of a toaster or other item but electrical faults are not always so obvious."

Anyone who would like to report one or more faulty items purchased from a second-hand shop should contact Southampton Trading Standards on 023 8051 1649.