A FOOTWEAR supplier has defended claims swastikas adorn the soles of slippers it sells online.

Pensioner Sam Purdie said he was horrified to find the Nazi symbol on the soles of his new slippers.

The 81-year-old, whose dad fought the Nazis, refuses to wear the slippers he bought on Amazon from LJ&R Footwear in Burnley.

Mr Purdie said he was worried that Jewish families might buy the same slippers.

But the Market Square firm said 'any resemblance' to the Nazi sign was 'purely coincidental'.

The retired engineer from Perth paid the £8.99 Jo & Joe navy moccasins.

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Mr Purdie said: "I was just looking for a comfortable new pair of slippers, nothing fancy.

"I saw them on Amazon and they looked ideal.

"But when I got them, the first thing I saw was all these swastikas on the soles. I thought it was absolutely disgusting."

He said: "My father and three uncles fought in the war and that image is not something I want in my house."

A spokesman for LJ&R Footwear, said: "This is the first time that this has been brought to our attention.

"This outsole is widely available in China and has not been developed by us.

"Any resemblance to the sign in question is purely coincidental, it is a honeycomb maze pattern."

Mr Purdie posted a comment on Amazon, but it was removed by the internet retailer, who claimed it 'violated' guidelines.

He said: "I was really worry that a Jewish family would buy these without knowing about the pattern. That's why I posted a review on Amazon.

"I never got an explanation, but I presume the word 'swastika' triggered some kind of alert.

"I wasn't asking for a refund. Those slippers are going straight in the bin."

Amazon, which charged £3.99 for delivery, did not respond to requests for comment.

Mr Purdie also raised his concerns about the slippers to the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities.

The Glasgow-based group had early raised concerns about American-made boots which left a trail of tiny swastika prints.

A spokesman said: "The manufacturers and suppliers should be pressed about their plans to withdraw the item or to change the pattern."