This is contrary to what at least one ticket seller told prospective purchasers last week it has been claimed.

Sellers were active in the CBD again over the weekend with reports that at least one male was canvassing prospects inside shops at 12.30pm on Saturday.

The Leader was contacted late last week by a Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) employee whose wife had purchased a ticket in the raffle.

Our informant felt the need to go public after becoming suspicious of some of the claims allegedly made during the sale.

Two sellers, who were trying to sell tickets on Peel St, up to the value of $100, reportedly claimed some of the proceeds would go towards SLS projects in the Tamworth region.

When questioned further the ticket sellers apparently said the money would help support the life guards at the region’s local pools.

Barraba was named as an

example.

A TRC spokeswoman has since confirmed TRC’s pools are not supervised by SLS life guards.

She also confirmed the ticket sellers did not have written approval from the council to sell on footpaths or council land.

They were asked to move on on Thursday.

“The lifeguards who man pools at Tamworth City, Tamworth South, Kootingal, Nundle, Manilla and Barraba are employed and paid by TRC,” the spokeswoman said.

A representative from SLS confirmed the validity of the raffle tickets but said the ticket sellers were incorrect in saying the proceeds would be spent locally.

“All of the proceeds are going to the beaches,” the representative said.

“It will be going towards things like equipment for Surf Life

Saving.

“Apologies to the community for any misunderstanding.”

The tickets were being sold on behalf of SLS by a company called Allsports Direct Australia.

According to the small print on the tickets up to 60 per cent of the face value of the ticket can be retained by Allsports.

Customer service manager Elizabeth Williams confirmed the information the ticket sellers were reportedly giving out was

incorrect.

She said she would be following up on it.

The SLS spokeswoman said the organisation does provide a number of community based courses and programs to help promote surf safety, primarily to primary school students.