A Bradford vicar has issued a call for people to give up "recreational" shopping for Lent - because it is against the Christian faith.

The Reverend Andii Bowsher, vicar of St Augustine's Church, Undercliffe - and former shelf stacker - is urging his flock not to shop until they drop rather than giving up the more common abstentions like sugar or chocolate.

But his comments have upset traders who say workers could lose their jobs if people take him literally.

Mr Bowsher - who issued his plea in a parish newsletter ahead of Lent which begins on February 17 - said: "It is now clear that for many people in our society, shopping is a pastime.

"I'm not saying don't buy anything, just suggesting that we don't buy things as a means of entertaining ourselves."

He said giving up shopping as a pastime would be taking a Christian stand against materialism.

He said: "If we buy into shopping as a pastime we are in grave danger of reinforcing in ourselves and in society the pursuit of aims that are contrary to our faith."

He added: "When I go round the shops trying to find something, or just shopping for entertainment, I am left feeling soul sick and left with an empty feeling.

"I am sympathetic to shop workers but I don't think shopping as a pastime is healthy for human beings either psychologically or spiritually."

But Jeff Frankel, from the Bradford Retail Action Group, said: "It might be a pastime but to people who work in the retail trade, if people stop shopping there is a danger of jobs being lost, which I'm sure is not what he would want."

Catherine Riley, manager of Bradford's Kirkgate Centre, said she was a committed Christian but would not be following Mr Bowsher's advice.

"I don't think shopping is harmful to the soul. If it's a basic entertainment for someone, I see no harm in it," she said.

And Sandy Needham from Bradford Chamber of Commerce said she did not think the vicar's idea would have much effect.

"The test measure is that Sunday trading went through. Most people do take advantage of that. If they are going to shop on a Sunday, which for many was a big issue, I don't see many people giving it up for Lent," she added.

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