A concerned dad is urging politicians and West Yorkshire's top policeman to take action after he found lethal knives, guns and other weapons on sale in a Bradford city centre shop.

Prison escort officer Richard Longden has already written to his MP, Terry Rooney, after he was shocked to see the weapons (pictured) on display in the window of Barkers shop in Sunbridge Road.

But he is stepping up his campaign after Mr Rooney told him it was not illegal for the items to be sold. Mr Longden, 51, a married father-of-two, of Bolton, Bradford, was horrified when he passed the shop and saw hunting knives, Samurai swords, knuckle dusters and a rifle on offer.

"There was a note next to the rifle which said purchasers had to be 18 and show proof of their age, but anybody can get round that," said Mr Longden, of Ashbourne Gardens.

"I have a 13-year-old daughter who goes into town shopping and to the ice rink and cinema and I am concerned about this.

"I would like the selling of these knives to be stopped. Some of them are purely designed to injure somebody. Is this the type of image we want Bradford to have? It will be the knife capital of the north."

Mr Longden was so angry he wrote to Mr Rooney, asking for action to be taken. He received a reply from the MP, who said he shared his concerns and had asked the shop to stop selling the knives, but to no avail. Mr Rooney wrote: "I am aware that trading standards have been informed but feel there is no legitimate action they can take. Unfortunately, the police and other authorities can only act within the legal framework available to them."

Mr Longden said he was disappointed. He said: "If I had one of these knives I would be arrested because it would be an offensive weapon. It seems you can't carry an offensive weapon but you can sell them. I am going to write to all my local MPs and councillors and the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire to ask them what they can do."

Last December the Telegraph & Argus revealed how the shop was selling Samurai swords, serrated hunting knives and replica guns from as little as £5.

The store's manager declined to comment when the Telegraph & Argus asked why he was selling the weapons, although a sign in the window said they would only be sold to over-18s.

Trading standards chiefs said the weapons could be sold legally.

And Bradford Police's City Centre Inspector Steve Baker admitted there was little officers could do under the present law. But he warned that anyone buying the weapons was likely to be breaking the law once they set foot outside the shop.