A NORTH-EAST market has banned the sale of samurai swords after a father was stabbed to death.

Barbara Dunne's 31-year-old son Robert died after teenager Jason Kelly stabbed him in the back in January in the West Lane area of Middlesbrough.

Now Stockton Market has banned all sales of the swords, in a move welcomed by Mrs Dunne.

She said: "Hopefully the Government will see that lots of different areas are starting to take action and will see what they can do to stop the sale of these things in any capacity.

"I would like to see councils all over the country following suit."

Councillors on Stockton Council's Market Forum approved a change to regulations banning blades from sale on market stalls.

Trader Heshem Hagje was selling swords, knives and nunchakus on his stall in Stockton until last month. Although trading standards officers said Mr Hagje was selling the products legally, he was asked not to return with his stock after authorities were informed.

After the murder, Kelly, 19, was jailed for life and Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Peter Fox asked why such highly dangerous swords were so easy to buy.

In May a man was treated in hospital after his buttocks were sliced to the bone by a samurai sword during a fight yards away from Stockton's market square.