A supermarket firm has banned charity collectors from its stores following an undercover expos.

BBC investigators secretly filmed representatives of International Child Care collecting money at the Co-op in Nevill Road, Hove.

The company said the proceeds go towards helping disabled children but its accounts suggest less than five per cent actually goes to good causes.

BBC South's Inside Out programme, due to be broadcast tonight, accuses International Child Care of misleading the public.

A Co-op spokesman said the supermarket was reviewing the way it dealt with in-store collections, adding: "We have withdrawn permission for any future collections within our stores while we carry out our own research into the organisation."

The Charity Commission said it had received a series of complaints about International Child Care.

Investigations manager Louise Drew said: "People have been asking if it is a registered charity, which it is not, and complaining about aggressive fund-raising."

The company quotes a registered number in its promotional paperwork but this is an Inland Revenue number for tax purposes.

Ms Drew added the commission was unable to take action because the Northern Ireland company fell outside its remit of England and Wales.

International Child Care chief executive Craig Canmore insisted the firm did help disabled children.

He said: "Any child meeting our criteria receives assistance, irrespective of where they live in the UK. To date we have helped hundreds of children."