'Free knife' coats pulled from shop

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TK Maxx said it had removed the Swiss-branded coats which came with a knife attached by a chain as soon as the firm became aware of the issue.

Shopper Steve Gale in Farnborough, Hampshire, found one of the coats on sale for £59 in his local store, The Sun reported.

He told the newspaper: "I pulled the chain and out came this knife. I couldn't believe it. It was actually part of the coat."

A spokesman for the firm said: "TK Maxx supports and enforces all laws and regulations with regard to the sale of knives in stores. We have rigorous processes in place to ensure that knives are displayed clearly and safely in our stores, that our associates are fully and properly trained on the legislation and that knives are sold only to customers over the age of 18."

"Recently we became aware that a Swiss-branded coat on sale in store included a pocket penknife as a promotional gift. Once aware of this issue, we followed all necessary procedures to remove the items swiftly from the supply chain. It is therefore with great regret that we learn that not all items were picked up through this process.

"All store teams have been alerted to this and as a matter of urgent priority, have now removed all related items from the shop floor."

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said officers would speak to staff at the store to "offer advice" but said it was aware the coat had been withdrawn from sale last month.

"The simple message is: carrying knives ruins lives. Doing so puts yourself and others at risk and is a criminal offence," he added.