campaigners claimed last night that a council taking a greengrocer to court for selling a pound of bananas is itself peddling goods in imperial measures,

Greengrocer Steven Thoburn, 36, is facing prosecution by Sunderland City Council for selling his fruit and vegetables in pounds and ounces.

But fishmonger Neil Heron says he was stunned when the same council sold him a batch of prawns in stones.

Mr Thoburn hit the headlines earlier this year when Trading Standards officers raided his market stall in Southwick, Sunderland, and seized his scales.

Council chiefs claimed he had breached the 1985 Weights and Measures Act by selling imperial measures.

After Mr Thoburn failed to budge, he was taken to court by the council and faces a landmark legal battle after he was charged with possessing illegal measures.

Now it has been revealed that the council-owned fish quay in Sunderland is itself selling goods in imperial measures.

Mr Heron made his regular visit to the quay on October 20 to buy his fish for his market stall in Sunderland city centre.

Among other items, he purchased a large order of prawns and the receipt, with an official stamp from the council, clearly shows he bought "three stones" of prawns, at a cost of £12.

Last night he said: "I want answers. The council should make an immediate U-turn or are they going to take themselves to court?"

Mr Thoburn is due in court in January to answer two charges of breaching the 1985 Weights and Measures Act by possessing illegal measuring scales.

The case is the first of its kind in Britain and will effectively decide the future for pounds and ounces in Britain.