Health concerns have been sparked after nearly 1,000 pairs of unsafe sunglasses were seized.

Steve Ruddy, from Surrey County Council Trading Standards, said: "Worryingly, many of the glasses we seized in our raid were designed to tempt children with novelty shapes and colours."

The haul from markets and car boot sales across Surrey means people may be putting their sight at risk.

The College of Optometrists and the council have urged people to buy sunglasses with lenses that provide proper UV protection.

Exposure to UV radiation from the sun has been linked to age-related degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in the UK.

Dr Susan Blakeney, from the College of Optometrists, said: "The damage is not immediately apparent, so it's important to take steps to protect both yourself and your children by buying sunglasses that are up to standard."

The advice is to look out for a CE mark or the British Standards kitemark showing that they conform to 'BS EN 1836 of 1997' and also to buy from a reputable retailer.

Kay Hammond, Surrey County Council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety, added: "There will always be rogue traders willing to sell this sort of product, so it is important people make the right choice when buying sunglasses."