A PENSIONER has been banned for life from two council markets for sharpening a knife for a stallholder on some nearby stone steps and laughing about it to an official.

Keith Holliday claims he had the blade up his sleeve when he took it across Church Street from Blackburn Market to restore its edge on February 11.

A passer-by called the police who interviewed him and decided no offence had been committed.

The 72-year-old was surprised when Blackburn with Darwen Council’s deputy commercial manager Debra Houldsworth stopped him in the market the following day to discuss the incident and admits he laughed.

He then received a letter from her barring him for six months.

It said: “I spoke to you regarding this incident and you felt it was a laughing matter.

“We are not happy you walked through the market with a knife in your hand on show to the public and that you felt it was not a serious matter and showed no remorse.”

Last week he went into the building and was stopped again by Ms Houldsworth who gave him a life ban from Blackburn and Darwen Markets.

He said: “This is ridiculous. I was just helping out a stallholder who's a friend. It is very heavy-handed. I was not a danger to the public.”

Pauline Sears, owner of Don’t Walk Pasta Bar whose knife Mr Holliday had sharpened, said: “It’s silly and over the top to ban him for life like this.”

Mr Holliday, a retired building worker from Maricourt Avenue in Intack, said: “I was a regular customer of the market and I often help out unpaid at stalls including Pauline’s.

“On Mondays I bring in a steel and sharpen her knives. This day I had forgotten it and she needed a knife sharpened. I went across to the Cathedral steps opposite to sharpen it. It was up my sleeve and I wasn’t brandishing it about.

“I was surprised when I was interviewed by four policemen but they said I was OK.

“The following day I saw Ms Houldsworth and, thinking it was banter, I laughed. A couple of days later I got the letter banning me for six months.

“She saw me in the market shopping last week and told me I was now banned for life from both Blackburn and Darwen markets.”

Martin Kelly, the council’s development director, said: “Due to this worrying incident which led to a member of the public calling the police, we have taken the relatively unusual step of banning this individual. We have the right to ban people who cause concern and upset to others and behave in this manner.”

A council spokeswoman confirmed Mr Holliday had now been banned for life from both markets.

A police spokesman said: “Following a call from a member of the public, Mr Holliday was spoken to by officers and it was decided no offence had been committed.”