Retailers in Bradford have given a mixed reaction to an MP's campaign to allow shopkeepers to sell their products in imperial measurements.

Shipley MP Philip Davies has tabled a parliamentary petition calling on the Government to "end this attack of people's freedom of choice" by immediately bringing forward proposals to remove the legal requirement to sell in metric measurements.

His call would mean it would no longer be illegal to sell goods in imperial measurements only.

He said: "People should be able to sell their products in whatever measurements they want.

"The European Union has taken the decision they will not scrap imperial measurements but will still force people to sell in metric as well as imperial.

"It should be left to the shop keepers to decide.

"Given the EU has caved in somewhat I hope local authorities will tread very carefully when prosecuting people."

Val Summerscales, president of the Bradford Chamber of Trade, said the current situation of dual pricing offers a better choice to customers.

She said: "I think it's important that the customers are able to express their freedom of choice already.

"We were never in favour of metric being the only weight offered for sale, we thought it was more desirable to continue in dual pricing.

"I would be interested to know what is driving Mr Davies to think that we need to change because I have certainly not received reports from members requesting any change."

Jason Benjamin, 36, owner of Global Fruits in the Oastler Shopping Centre, said: "The conversion was originally awkward but saying that, it has worked well for us due to the fact that we have got a lot of eastern European people who do not know what pounds are.

"It cost £3,000 to convert the scales, but now we have got the metric and imperial on the tickets it doesn't really make that much difference."

Old-style imperial measurements were banned from shops from January 1, 2000 and retailers were warned they could face fines up to £2,000 if they do not comply.

Mr Davis' petition calls for the Metric Martyr, Sunderland market trader Steve Thoburn, to be pardoned after he was convicted for selling goods only in imperial measures in 2001.

Mr Thoburn died suddenly at the age of 39 in 2004.

Appeals against his conviction were rejected by the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights in February 2004.