Disposable barbecues have been banned from sale in Co-op stores near national parks to support bans and prevent fires.

The food retailer has announced they are withdrawing the packs from sale from all stores in or within one-mile of all UK national parks.

This move will include the Co-op stored in located in Mitchell Way, Alexandria and Balloch as both stores are located near Loch Lomond and the Trossach's national park.

The move is designed to help prevent devastating wildfires and reduce anti-social behaviour in these areas.

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Previously reported in the Reporter, a seven-year-old boy suffered horrific burns to his hands after scorching barbecue coals were left lying on Luss Beach.

Callum Lawlor was skimming stones with his mum, Carly, on the shores of Loch Lomond, when he grabbed a pile of what he thought were pebbles, but turned out to be burning hot coals from a barbecue. 

The youngster was rushed to hospital, where he was taken into surgery and told that his hands would be left scarred from the incident. 

Adele Balmforth, buying director at Co-op said: “Whilst the majority of consumers use, extinguish, and dispose of instant barbecues safely, and we continue to sell many of them from our stores across the UK, we respect that local decisions to protect the parkland have to be made.

“We have removed instant barbecues from sale to help protect the landscape of the communities in which we serve.“