A DIY store has agreed to stop selling exotic animals at its in-store pet shops in the face of pressure from animal welfare campaigners.

Focus Do It All has announced that it will no longer sell reptiles through its Petworld outlets, including stores at Sunderland, Washington, South Shields and Newcastle.

The move was hailed as a victory by pressure group Animal Aid, which has been running a boycott of the DIY chain to persuade it to stop selling pets.

Director Andrew Tyler said: "A DIY store encourages impulse buys, and by taking reptiles into the High Street they are making what had been a niche market into a mainstream market.

"These animals need specialist care, but within a year the majority of them are dead through stress. With the best will in the world, most people don't know how to look after them."

Petworld director Carl Smith said the decision to phase out sales of lizards, spiders, tortoises and snakes was taken after talks with the RSPCA, and not in response to pressure from Animal Aid.

He said: "Talks with the RSPCA have convinced us that despite our careful safeguards, some reptiles are being abandoned or brought to sanctuaries because their owners are unable to manage them.

"We have therefore taken the decision to stop selling reptiles, and would like to take this opportunity to urge all other animal retailers to follow suit."

RSPCA chief veterinary officer Chris Laurence said: "We have campaigned for many years to deter people from buying exotic animals because we don't believe they make suitable pets.

"All too often, inspectors are called in to help when owners realise they no longer want, or can no longer cope with their exotic animal.

He said they were delighted that Focus Do It All had taken the step.