A CHARITY worker has launched a stinging attack on Commonwealth Games bosses for refusing to support good causes.

Derek Gaskell, MBE, who has raised millions of pounds to help others, is angry that organisations will not be allowed to use the sporting event's logo.

Mr Gaskell, who set up BASIC, the brain injuries charity which helps people with neurological and spinal illness, wanted to display the motif on the group's posters and leaflets to support the Commonwealth Games, but he was refused permission.

Mr Gaskell said: "This stinks. They have asked tens of thousands of people to volunteer their time free of charge. They can accept charity, but they are not able to support it?

"We do not want any money off them. All BASIC wants to do is raise money. This is supposed to be the friendship games."

A Commonwealth Games spokesman confirmed that it would be impossible to vet all charities to use their logo.

He added: "The Commonwealth Games has been approached by numerous charities and it would be impossible to support them all. For this reason a decision was made not to have an official charity for the Games. The logo is a copyright symbol for which our sponsors paid a great deal of money to use."

Mr Gaskell, who is famous for his bizarre money-spinning stunts, is carrying on his charity work regardless.

His next spectacular will be on Saturday, July 27, when the luxury train The Orient Express calls at Bolton station on a fund-raising trip. Mr Gaskell is also organising a look-a-like cabaret concert at Old Trafford on August 3.

He wants visitors from around the world who will be visiting the region as part of the Commonwealth Games to dig deep to support his local cause.