SICKENING mugs with a tasteless “suicide watch” cartoon have been pulled from the shelves of a Bolton pound shop — after a mother whose son died in prison complained to The Bolton News.

The £1 mugs — which were on sale at Pound Empire in Crompton Place — showed an image of a stick man with a noose around his neck and another figure sat watching eating popcorn.

Bosses at the pound store have now apologised and vowed to remove the offending items from sale.

Karen McGovern, whose son Thomas was found dead in his cell aged 21, said she felt physically sick when she saw the mugs on display while out shopping in Bolton.

The 46-year-old, of Jedburgh Avenue, Heaton, said: “It is heartbreaking to see this kind of thing sat on the shelves of a shop. Since my son died my family has been left behind with the torment, so to go shopping and see that is mental torture.

“I think the mugs should be banned from the shelves. I just can’t understand how they would think that it’s a good idea to sell them all in the first place.

The mother, who has four other children, added: “Suicide is a reality for so many people. It is not a joke. I feel sick just thinking about it.”

Thomas Watson-McGovern, aged 21, was found “unresponsive” in his cell at HMP Everthorpe, East Yorkshire, by prison staff on January 10 this year.

He was six months into a nine-year sentence for robbery.

An inquest into his death will take place following an investigation by the Independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

Pound Empire manager Javed Patel said: “If someone has been offended by them then I am sorry. I had not even thought about it in that way.

“We just bought a big parcel of various mugs and put them on the shelves. We didn’t specifically pick them out.

“Now that I know there are people who are offended by them I will see they are taken off the shelves immediately.”

Sue Baker, director of mental health anti-stigma campaign Time to Change said: “How on earth could this product have ended up on the shelves without someone, at some point in the supply chain, thinking how deeply distressing and hurtful it would be to see this mug if you had lost someone to suicide or if you were struggling with a mental health problem?

“It astounds me that some retailers think that poking fun at and trivialising mental health issues is an acceptable way to sell products, when one in four of their customers are directly affected by mental health issues and one in six of their workers.

“This will make it even harder for people to speak out and seek help.”

Mrs McGovern’s son was jailed in August last year for his part in an attack on a Todmorden man in his own home.

Sharlene Watson, aged 30, who was jailed for eight-and-a-half years, was described at Bradford Crown Court, as the “driving force” behind the attack.

Their victim, who died in July last year following a motorbike accident, was kicked and punched and had a knife held to his throat during the attack.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “HMP Everthorpe prisoner Thomas Watson-McGovern was found unresponsive in his cell by prison staff at approximately 6.40pm on Friday, January 10.

“Prison staff attempted CPR and paramedics attended but he was pronounced dead at 6.55pm.

“As with all deaths in custody, the Independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation.”