A BLACKBURN granddad has hit out at shops selling syringe-shaped pens in the town.

Richard Ray, 56, who lives in Colbridge Drive, saw the pens on sale in the window of Railway News in Railway Road for 99p.

The father-of-three, who has eight grandchildren, said the pens could encourage young children to pick up discarded needles.

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He said: "They're only 99p, any kid could go in and pick one of them up.

"I just looked at them and thought 'that's not right'.

"What if a kid was walking down the road and sees a real syringe and goes and jabs themself with HIV?

"It's only a pen, but you can't be selling that in a shop for 99p.

"This is just encouraging kids to think they should have syringes, that shouldn't be allowed.

"I would not have let my children go into school with that.

"That is one of the worst things I've ever seen in my life.

"It's crazy selling them to kids.

"Teachers won't want kids walking through school with them."

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The pens are believed to be on sale in several shops in Blackburn town centre.

But a manager in Railway News, where Mr Ray saw the pens on display, said the pens were only on sale to adults.

Roy Baron, 52, said: "They're not for kids.

"We wouldn't sell them to children.

"They've got to be over 18, and they've got to show ID, same with cigarettes.

"They're only pens, they're legal, and we don't tell them to kids.

"We're not doing anything illegal, they're novelty pens for adults.

"Same with cigarette lighters, we don't sell them to kids.

"If anyone has a problem with it, they can speak to us and we'll deal with it."

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesman said; "Trading Standards have had no complaints about the pens as of yet."