SUPPLIERS of the latest toy craze aimed at children aged just six are cleaning up their act after the Citizen uncovered instructions littered with offensive words.

Youngsters all over Preston have been queueing for hours to buy cyberpets, little electric animals with all the needs of ordinary pets that originate from Japan and China.

Many stores sold out within hours of receiving their first batch.

But trading standards officials and community groups were shocked by language in a leaflet found in one brand.

The toy, My Baby Dinosaur, requires all the attention of a normal pet such as feeding, exercising and cleaning - with instructions referring to toilet training in foul language.

David Longworth of the Preston Action Committee to Preserve Community Standards said: "It's another deplorable product that seems to be part of a coarsening trend in society.

"The language in some other things such as magazines has been awful for years and it's almost as if there's a competition to see who can get worse than the rest."

Stephen Winders, headteacher of St Wilfrid's RC primary school in Preston, was horrified. He said: "The language should be cleaned up."

But David Jackson, manager of The Magazine Shop, in the St George's Centre, Preston, said he had received no complaints.

He said: "My suppliers said the instructions were badly translated and the next order will be amended. The current stock will be edited."

This action was praised by Mr Longworth who said: "I'm delighted the responsible retailer is acting and the clean-up is taking place."

But children are still determined to get their hands on the toys. Kyle Garth, 10, from Ashton, Preston, said: "I'm jealous because one of my friends has one. But he overfed his and made it sick."

His friend, eleven-year-old Teresa Kaye, from Ribbleton, Preston, said: "I would love to have one. I would save up my spending money for one."

Lancashire Principal Trading Standards Officer Paul Heward said: "It's a translation problem but it's something we would look into."

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