What A Load Of Caltrops!

Security pins left "lying around" the floor of a Merseyside superstore are a danger to life and limb, said concerned shoppers.

The potential dangers were highlighted by thalidomide survivor Kevin Donnellon and former Sefton councillor Ralph James, who likened them to "lo-tech anti-personnel devices".

The tags are standard in most clothing stores. However, it was the potential for injury from them being left "pin upwards" on the floor of the Tesco Litherland superstore that concerned campaigners.

Health and safety first!

Kevin Donnellon, 57, is a dad-of-two and thalidomide survivor from Crosby who uses a powered wheelchair.

He said: "I'm always on the lookout for the pins. They're lethal. It's not just the odd one, there's loads.

"As you can see, they are extremely long and sharp and must have presented, during the many years they have been in use, a severe danger to anyone stepping on them such as young children, guide dogs and could easily deflate tyres in wheelchairs or prams."

So how many guide dogs have been injured? How many kiddiewinks punctured? How many wheelchairs put out of action?

Ralph James, 65, a former Sefton councillor from Bootle, said he had picked up "dozens" of the security tags on his visits to the store.

He said: "It's an inherently unsafe design. They bounce out of the box staff throw them in and end up lying all over the floor of the exit aisle at a 45-degree angle.

"There's a danger they could cause sepsis if they were stepped on and caused a puncture wound.

"I want to prevent somebody suffering injury or possibly death as a result of some sort of infection setting in."

Hmmm. I'm starting to think the answer's 'None'. Despite them being around 'for years', according to the complainants...

A Tesco spokesperson said: "These security tags are the standard type used in clothing stores across the UK.

"Unfortunately these particular tags seem to have been misplaced and so we will remind our colleagues of the correct way they should be disposed so they are not found on the floor."

Is that fancy business PR speak for 'Oh, go away & get a life!'...?