PUSH up bras for nine-year-olds, ‘WAG’ slogan T-shirts for pre-schoolers and high heeled shoes for toddlers.

These might sound like ludicrous concepts, but over the past year a string of high street retailers have been criticised for selling such items.

And now East Lancashire mums are joining the row over young girls being pressurised to grow up too quickly.

Leading the local campaign is Darwen mother-of-three Jolene Savage, who has written to East Lancashire retailers asking them to remove ‘inappropriate’ clothing from their shelves.

The 25-year-old said it was difficult finding suitable clothes for Emily, eight and seven-year-old Eliza-Mae.

She said: “They want to keep up with their friends and a lot of what they see in shops and magazines is far too old for them.

"I have been trying to find swimwear recently for my girls and there is so much I would not feel comfortable with – some with pads in and all sorts."

Jolene, who also has a five-year-old son, said: “Children don’t understand why they can’t wear certain things but they shouldn’t be available at all, it makes a parent’s job much harder.”

A report by Mothers’ Union head Reg Bailey – backed by David Cameron – was released last week to address the issues around the sexual commercialisation of children.

As a result of the report, called ‘Letting Children be Children,’ a raft of new recommendations are being put together targeting retailers, advertisers and broadcasters who cross the boundaries of decency.

Fashion retailers look set to be forced to adopt a code of conduct restricting the sale of age-inappropriate clothes, such as heeled shoes and T-shirts for toddlers with suggestive slogans such as 'future WAG' and 'so many boys, too little time'.

There are also plans to restrict sexualized imagery in outdoor advertising near schools, nurseries and playgrounds.

And under the plans parents would be given new tools to block adult content on social media sites, mobile phones and video games.

Posters and adverts from regional Mothers’ Union groups will feature in church magazines across East Lancashire from this week to gain local support.

Pat Sullivan, of the Mothers’ Union at Saint Mary Magdalen’s Church, Accrington, said: “A lot of people feel very strongly about this. One of our group said she was appalled when she shopped for her two-year-old granddaughters.

"Retailers and advertisers need to change their ways.”

Other mums agreed, saying more needed to be done to tackle the problems at ground level.

Selina Bolam, 35, from Rossendale, has a 14-year-old daughter.

She said she has to go shopping with her to ensure she doesn’t buy inappropriate clothing, adding: “I saw one T-shirt recently that said ‘born to be a porn star’.

"I was horrified. The problem is peer pressure, and some girls don’t realise they are dressing provocatively, but it’s wrong and shouldn’t be available for under 16s.”

Store manager Elaine Courland, from Blackburn, has a seven-year-old daughter called Sophia.

Elaine said: “I am very careful about where I shop for my daughter, she is tall for her age so that creates an additional issue as I have to buy clothes for a couple of years older.

"Some items you see are completely unsuitable.”

Civil Servant Nicola Hempsall, 38, of Blackburn, said: It’s all down to advertising, if they see Miley Cyrus wearing something or acting a certain way they want to follow.

"I don’t let my daughter watch those sorts of programmes, but it’s not always that easy, with slogans on tops and padded bras that I wouldn't even wear.

“I feel sorry for the young girls you see wearing these clothes, or high heels that are years too old for them.

“I’m lucky that my seven-year-old is happy being a little girl for now.”

On the back of the Mothers’ Union report, new ‘good practice’ guidance for stores selling children’s clothing has been launched by the British retail Consortium, which represents all major stores.

British Retail Consortium Director of Public Affairs Jane Bevis said: “These new guidelines provide extra reassurance for parents that these companies are just as concerned as they are about what their children wear.

“No responsible retailer wants to stock items which will upset their customers or that people don’t want to buy.

"This guidance helps everyone understand the decision-making processes retailers go through.”