Blackburn Rovers has defended itself after being criticised by MPs in parliament for its sponsorship deal with a vape company.

MPs said they are "outraged" by the club’s decision, with another telling club members to “look themselves in the mirror”.

In June it was announced Blackburn-based vaping company Totally Wicked will continue as principal sponsors of the club for the 2023/24 season.

Totally Wicked will also continue as sponsors of Rovers’ training wear, a partnership which dates back to 2018.

The logo is not used on children’s kits or other clothes sold by the club.

Blackburn Rovers has defended its collaboration with Totally Wicked and said it has "seen no evidence" to suggest the sponsorship "has encouraged an uptake of vaping among children".

A spokesperson for Totally Wicked said “it is essential to address concerns about underage vaping” but it is also “equally important to highlight the positive impact that vaping can have on adult smokers looking to quit [smoking traditional tobacco products]".

Vapes - or e-cigarettes - have become a popular way for smokers to kick the habit and provide a less harmful - albeit not risk-free - way of quitting smoking.

However, in recent months concerns have been raised around marketing and branding of products - in particular the colour and flavours of products - and that some young people can get their hands on them too easily, developing nicotine addictions from an early age.

During a debate in the House of Commons about underage vaping, some MPs said they were concerned “children are being inappropriately exposed to e-cigarette promotions.”

Kirsten Oswald, SNP MP for East Renfrewshire, said: “Blackburn Rovers... are being sponsored by a vaping retailer, Totally Wicked, for the sixth season in a row.

“We would find it unacceptable if our football club came out with cigarette branding on their shirts.

“I cannot understand why it is any more acceptable for a football club to come out with vaping advertising."

Ms Oswald later said sports clubs should have a "positive influence" on children.

She said: "This is really unacceptable. If we are serious about dealing with the harms to children and young people, we really should expect sports clubs to be somewhere that they can see positive imagery and have positive influences."

Steven Brine, chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, said the sponsorship deal is the “opposite of totally wicked”.

He said: “I have young children who use that expression [totally wicked], and I can see why that would be attractive to a company wishing for Blackburn Rovers to carry its advertising on their shirts.

“I can only think that is the company’s motivation. I would ask Blackburn Rovers to look themselves in the mirror about that deal as much as the company that is doing the advertising.”

However, both Rovers and Totally Wicked have dismissed Mr Brine's claims.

Totally Wicked said it fully recognises the concerns around underage vaping and has taken several proactive steps in its stores to tackle the issue.

A spokesperson for Blackburn Rovers said: “Blackburn Rovers has developed a strong partnership with locally-based Totally Wicked over the past five seasons, initially as our training wear partner and more recently as our front of shirt sponsor.

“At no point during our long-standing relationship has the idea that the Totally Wicked brand might appeal disproportionately to children been raised and we have seen no evidence to suggest that our sponsorship has encouraged an uptake of vaping among children.

“Totally Wicked lead the way in providing the products that have enabled hundreds of thousands of smokers to choose a safer alternative.

“Every adult smoker who finds vaping through our association is a positive outcome, but the products should be accessible to over-18s only.

"To this end, Totally Wicked adopt strict age verification protocols, as required with any age-restricted category.

“Both Blackburn Rovers and Totally Wicked advocate that vaping has a positive and proven role in supporting the reduction and ultimate eradication of smoking within our communities.

"We have and will continue to carry out education and awareness initiatives to our fans and communities around the positive role that vaping can play in reducing adult smoking rates.

"This continued awareness drive is a very positive outcome for our long-standing partnership.

“As our principal club sponsor, the Totally Wicked logo will appear on the front of our first team home, away and third shirts, and on adult replica kits, but not on any playing shirts or replica shirts for under-18s.

“As a football club at the heart of its local community, we acknowledge we have a responsibility to encourage healthy life choices for children and we do not see that raising awareness of the positive role that vaping plays in helping to eradicate smoking among adults and empowering more people to quit smoking for good conflicts with this in any way.”

A spokesperson for Totally Wicked said: “At Totally Wicked, we fully recognise and acknowledge the growing concerns surrounding vaping among young people.

“We take our responsibility as a leading vaping business seriously and are committed to implementing measures that promote responsible vaping and prevent underage use.

“We firmly believe that the best approach to addressing this issue lies in education, regulation, and responsible marketing practices.

“To tackle the problem of underage vaping, Totally Wicked has taken several proactive steps. These include: strict age verification, adherence to regulatory guidelines and collaboration with public health authorities.

“While it is essential to address concerns about underage vaping, it is equally important to highlight the positive impact that vaping can have on adult smokers looking to quit traditional combustible tobacco products.

 “Totally Wicked is committed to supporting adult smokers who wish to quit by providing them with high-quality vaping products and comprehensive support services.

“We believe that through responsible marketing and accurate information, we can encourage adult smokers to make informed decisions about their health and potentially move away from smoking altogether.”