“Freeze, Dirtbag! T-Shirt Squad!!”

Police have launched an investigation following complaints that a Skegness business is selling clothing that contains offensive language.

And the newspaper helpfully prints a picture of such foul garmenture, beneath a warning, of course:

WARNING: Clicking to the second image above reveals an image of the T-shirts that may be considered offensive.

If you click it, as I did, you’ll see nothing that will really shock you. Nothing that’ll make you belly-laugh, either, but that’s tacky seaside resort merchandise for you.

… town council officials were sent a letter from a visitor to the resort who claimed that T-shirts with ‘filthy’ slogans were being sold outside businesses on the town’s high street.

And instead of reading it and shrugging and throwing it in the bin, they felt that they had to DO SOMETHING! about this. Or rather, someone else should DO SOMETHING! about this.

A spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Police said the force was aware of the issue and would be looking into the matter.

“The issue of potentially offensive T-shirts was raised at a recent town council meeting,” she said.

“Skegness is a family resort and anything that may cause offence to families will be unwelcome in the town.”

The police don’t get paid to deal with ‘unwelcomeness’, they get paid to deal with crime. Are these T-shirts illegal? If not, politely tell the councillors that it’s not a matter for you.

After all, everyone else has:

Chad Saratoon, senior officer for Lincolnshire Trading Standards, said: "Unfortunately, we don’t currently have any powers to take these products away because of what is printed on them.

"We would only take action if they were infringing trademarks or copyright."

What is it with the NuPuritans we elect these days?