TWO mothers spoke of their shock after discovering electronic cigarettes containing nicotine and labelled as toxic are being sold to children in Bolton.

Olina Porcu and Joanne Bridge from Horwich reported the issue to police and Trading Standards but were told shopkeepers were not breaking any laws as there are currently no restrictions on the sale of e-cigs to under 18s.

In other parts of the country, shopkeepers are being asked to join voluntary council-run schemes not to sell e-cigarettes to children.

Their 12-year-old sons, year eight pupils at St Joseph’s RC High School and Sports College, Chorley New Road, Horwich, were found with the £5 re-chargeable device and £2 liquid refills in Vimto and chocolate flavours. It is believed they were bought in Bolton town centre.

Mother-of-two Mrs Porcu, aged 35, said: "The police said there's nothing they can do about it because it's not illegal to sell them. Trading Standards said the matter is going through the courts at the moment but there are no laws. If shopkeepers just use common sense and ask for ID if they think somebody does not look 18.

"E-cigarettes are designed to get people off cigarettes. It's having a knock-on effect rather than having a positive one. These devices still have nicotine in them."

She wanted to warn parents of children as young as primary school ages to be aware, especially if their children have got older friends.

Mother-of-one Miss Bridge, aged 38, said: "We don't know enough about them. Anything could be in them. It's literally a 12-year-old has gone into the shop and come home with these."

The label on the liquid bottles reads "not suitable for anyone under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding women".

Mrs Bridge added: "They are making them appealing to the younger age group even though it says not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. How long is it going to take for something to be put in place — for a law to be passed or something to happen to a child?

"Chocolate and Vimto flavour won't seem harmful to children."

Richard Woods, head teacher at St Joseph’s RC High School and Sports College, said: "We address health related issues within the school curriculum through PSHEE opportunities, Citizenship, Science and many other lessons.

"Any individual circumstances are supported through our excellent pastoral system in liaison with health professionals as appropriate, and always in conjunction with parents as our education partners."

E-cigarette sales have boomed over the past 18 months, with more than 1.3 million people in the UK now thought to use them.

The tobacco free devices were designed as a healthier alternative to traditional smoking, or as an aid to quitting, but experts remain concerned about the long-term effects they could have on users' health, with very little research having been carried out.

Amanda Sandford, information manager at Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: "ASH supports the government’s plan to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes to children as well as prohibiting adults from buying the products for children.

"In the meantime we urge retailers to honour the voluntary ban on sales to under-18s.

"Although e-cigarettes are far less hazardous than tobacco products they are not completely harmless and we therefore support strict controls on marketing to ensure they are not promoted to children or to non-smokers."