PARENTS are being warned about an alleged Facebook toy scam around Bolton, where hundreds of pounds are being sent for no returns - or a cheaper item is sent back.

Tracey Mcmanus, from Farnworth, started a Facebook group called Saving Our Children’s Christmas to start toy donations for families left with a hole in their finances after being 'scammed' out of money for the toys since September.

Numerous people in different areas of Bolton as well as Walkden reported on the page to have ordered toys such as e-scooters and game consoles, which never arrived. Some even say they received toy dolls instead.

Tracey, whose own daughter was among the victims said: “This person made a Facebook page selling cheap toys for no more than £40 at first.

“It was dolls and smaller toys that were getting to people fine. But once they started selling bigger things like play-stations, then people weren’t getting them.

“People were ordering consoles and bikes and getting nothing or dolls instead. It’s left so many people out of pocket, this isn’t fair.”

Tracey says her own daughter had ordered e-scooters and was devastated when she realised she had been scammed.

Tracey told the Bolton News: “I had my daughter on the phone to me, crying because she had paid for presents for the kids that haven’t shown up, but got sent two dolls instead.

“It’s just absolutely disgusting that someone would do this at Christmas.”

To help all the families including her own daughter, Tracey helped set up a group.

She said: “I couldn’t just sit here and do nothing when I knew there were kids that wouldn’t get a present now because of this selfish person.

“It’s just not fair and I had to do something so a few of us set up this group to find and help others.

“We have so many people donating presents, we don’t take no money off anyone and people are dropping them off to a few of us, so we’re going to sort them all out and decide who gets what.

“We just want to help everyone out. One lady I spoke to and gave an older PlayStation to was crying so much on the phone she couldn’t get her words out.”

The group now has more than 400 people involved, with just over £17,000 in total so far said to have been lost out to the 'scam'.