GRANDFATHER John White was shocked when he saw a novelty pen at a toy fair in Birmingham where his toy-trader brother was looking for Christmas ideas.

For the pen looks like a real hypodermic syringe full of blood – and it gives a very dangerous message at a time when drugs menace the whole of society but children in particular.

"It is so realistic. I thought, when I first saw one, 'how careless – what a dangerous thing to leave lying around', but then I saw more on other wholesalers' stands. It is pretty clear the things are going to be pushed at the Christmas market," said Mr White, 52, who has grandchildren aged four and three.

"I think it is sick, especially when we are trying to promote the 'say no' message in schools. The next thing we know it will turn up in classrooms.

"If younger children come to accept it as a toy, they could easily see the real thing in some places today and think it is another toy and do themselves some real harm. I think it should be banned from sale."

The toy pen operates by pushing the plunger to make the ball-point cartridge emerge.

"If I came and chucked it on your desk you would think, 'Whatever is he doing? Has it been infected with AIDS?' All sorts of things – it is so realistic.

"You can't find out who made it or where it came from, the wholesalers just say it is imported. I don't know what it sells for either, because novelties are sold in bulk lots of around £2,000. I would guess it would cost around 5p with a markup of 50p or so.

"I want it stopped from getting to the Forest. I can't see why the Government shouldn't act to stop things like this coming in. It is just people after a fast buck who don't stop to think of the consequences of what they are selling."