A VICAR has publicly apologised to parishioners after a table top sale he gave his blessing to turned out to be a mock auction.

St Barnabas Church, Blackburn, has fallen victim to mock auction traders twice, despite the Rev Herrick Daniels vowing never to allow such a sale to go ahead again in the church hall in Johnston Street.

Mr Daniels, who earlier reassured pensioners that the sale was genuine, said: "The organiser assured me that this would not be an auction but a table top sale."

He added: "The sale was not put on by the church and has nothing to do with the church. The organiser told me one thing and then did another.

"I apologise to the parishioners for what has happened."

More than 60 people turned out for the sale organised by Lee Davis of Davis Enterprises Ltd in Cheshire. Many handed over cash for goods but later found that they had been given a different, cheaper item.

Mr George McNiven, of Addison Close, Blackburn, paid £10 for a radio cassette player but after opening the packaging found a plastic camera inside worth 99p.

Mr Eddie Duxbury, who also attended the auction, said: "After about an hour of sales talk I don't think customers knew what was happening.

"After the good stuff was put on display, tenners were waved in the air.

"Unidentified articles in tightly knotted bin bags were collected by customers at the back door on the way out."

Mr Davies was not available for comment.

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