Following the discovery that fake badges were being sold online, the BBC suspended its offer of free entry attractions in the UK for badge-holders. The BBC said it would not renew the scheme until it had discovered a way to distinguish between genuine and fake badges.

The team at Digital Print CIC has contacted the BBC to offer its help, although talks have not moved beyond the preliminary stage.

Digital Print CIC operates out of the University of Leeds' department of colour and polymer chemistry. It is currently conducting research into anti-counterfeit printing.

Since it was set up last year, the organisation has collaborated with the colourants, security-printing and packaging industries to develop colourants that can be used in anti-counterfeit and brand protection.

"With all the technological advances at our labs, we just had to offer our expertise to the team at Blue Peter after seeing that fraudsters have targeted a well-loved children's programme," said Digital Print CIC commercial manager Dave Williams (pictured).