POLICE were called to a shop where a saucy mannequin has been causing a stir - and asked the owner to dress her more appropriately.

A formal complaint was made to Lancashire Police about ‘Babs’ who has been at the centre of a growing row in Clitheroe.

Some residents have been calling for her removal from public view in the window of The Time Train retro shop where she has been standing for the past five months.

Police received the complaint on Saturday and an officer went to the shop, asking them to clothe ‘Babs’ more appropriately.

Matt Taylor, 31, joint shop owner, said he has no intention of giving in and the police left without taking any action.

He told the Telegraph that ‘Babs’ may even be getting a ‘boyfriend’ in the summer.

He said: “I told the police officer that I had no intention of covering her up and it’s just ridiculous that this has gone on for so long.

“It is such a waste of time that the police were called because it isn’t a police issue.

“The whole thing is ridiculous and we intend to fight against it until the end.”

A petition against ‘Babs’ is reportedly being put together and is expected to be given to Ribble Valley Council.

A council spokeswoman said they had not received any formal complaints or a petition to date. Customer Pete Moore, 57, who is married to Nic, 51, from Clitheroe, said: “We’ve been coming into The Time Train for quite a while, always attracted by the unusual and bizarre goods on sale.

“We feel it is a huge misuse of public services by classing the mannequin on the doorstep as an emergency resulting in police presence.

“The only thing criminal is people’s lack of humour.

“All the owners are trying to do is put a smile on people’s faces during the bleak winter months. We applaud their individuality; three cheers for Babs.”

Time Train was opened in November by Matt alongside Jeff Beamer, 45, and Lisa Pickles, 26, who all quit their jobs to set up the shop.

Their counter campaign, ‘Save Babs’, on Facebook, has already reached 13,500 hits.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said an officer attended the shop and offered ‘words of advice’.