Street traders at Stamford Bridge have been dismayed to discover Chelsea have declared war on the half-and-half scarf.

The club have won the right to trademark the word 'Chelsea' on all clothing items and will crack down on unofficial merchandise sold outside the ground on match-days.

Traders have been warned they now have just three home matches in which to sell off any existing stock, starting with Monday's derby against West Ham United — Chelsea's opening game of the new Premier League season.

Premier League giants Chelsea ban half-and-half scarf sales by stall holders

They do not feature official crests and logos but they do bear club names, dates and venue

The word 'Chelsea' is now a trademark in Class 25, which covers clothing, replica football kits and headgear, but the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham specified the scarves in a letter to stall holders, sent out last week.

'Any new merchandise including friendship scarves must comply with the requirements of the new trademarks and must not use the word 'Chelsea' without permission from Chelsea FC the trademark owners,' said the council's trading standards department.

Friendship scarves, despite being treated with disdain or ridicule by many British football fans, are popular souvenirs — particularly with children attending their first match and with tourists.

They do not feature official crests and logos — which have long been trademarked — but they do bear club names, dates, venue and the competition, all in the colours of the two teams involved.

Street traders on the Fulham Road, who pay £1,500 a year for their pitch, can each sell up to 300 scarves per game, so sales can be worth thousands of pounds over the course of a season.

Even though Chelsea have won this legal battle to take even greater control of the club's brand it is not believed that they have any immediate plans to produce their own version of the friendship scarf.

Supporters pose with their half-and-half scarves outside Stamford Bridge in February