PIRATE copies of the latest blockbuster movies destined for homes across the North-west this Christmas have been seized as part of a clampdown on counterfeiting.

Box office hits including Spiderman, Harry Potter, Scooby Doo and Shrek were taken by trading standard officers in Bolton..

As revealed in yesterday's final edition of the Bolton Evening News, they were allegedly being copied and then sold via the internet.

A total of 212 master copies of films were seized by officers during a raid on a house on the Johnson Fold estate. Dozens of music CDs were also found.

Two computers were also seized from the property.

Trading standards officers believe the fakes were being sold by mail order through a web site and customers could order whatever film or music CD they wanted.

A man and woman will be interviewed by officers at a later date. Richard Lindley, Group Manager Trading Standards at Bolton, said: "This latest raid shows that we are trying to clamp down on counterfeiting, especially in the run up to Christmas.

"It followed a complaint by a member of the public.

"All the equipment was forfeited."

Last month, officers in Bolton smashed one of the biggest counterfeit operations of CDs, films and games in the UK.

Hundreds of master copies of music CDs, DVDs and computer games were seized.