A DISGUSTED dad-of-two has slammed Bolton shopkeepers for selling what he claims are smutty Christmas cards.

Westhoughton man John Burns says he was disgusted to see Yuletide cards bearing saucy cartoon pictures on sale in Bolton shops.

And the 49-year-old man was so incensed he even complained to the management at one shop about the adult humour Christmas cards which were displayed on their shelves.

Mr Burns says he wants to see a ban on the cards, some of which contain four-letter words and sexually suggestive pictures.

He added: "I have two grown sons - one of 28 and one of 25 - but I wouldn't dream of sending them one of these cards.

"At one shop I saw two young girls looking through the window giggling at one of these cards. It's not the kind of Christmas message that should be got across.

"These kind of cards shouldn't be sold in normal shops, they should only be on sale in sex shops."

Now Mr Burns is calling for shopkeepers throughout the town to revert to the traditional Christmas message on their cards.

He said: "Christmas should be about Jesus and children, rather than these kind of cards."

And the management at one Westhoughton shop have promised to reconsider their decision to sell the cards which Mr Burns found offensive.

A company spokesman for Gee Tee's, based on the New Pavillion Square, off Cricketer's Way, already screen the adult cards they sell to make sure they are not too near the knuckle before putting them on the shelves.

He added: "This is very much a matter of personal taste. These cards have been selling hand over fist but we are more than happy to review the situation following this complaint."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.