Offensive Golly Dolls 'Snapped Up'

Golly dolls - the black and white toys which many believe have offensive racist connotations - are being snapped up in Northen Ireland shops.

A Belfast woman said she was "horrified" to find them in a local shopping centre.

Nicola Bailey said: "I can't believe people are making, selling or buying them."

But for the shop owner, the dolls have proved a top seller.

Nevertheless, the owner of the Mr Christmas shop in Connswater has apologised for any offence and said he would send the rest of his stock back.

The Equality Commission said the dolls were a "throwback to the 50s".

They have been stocked at the Connswater centre since September.

They are very popular, the shop said and, at one point, they were sold out. The dolls have been one of their best selling items in a number of years.

But the shop's owner said it was never his intention to offend. Once his display dolls are sold, he won't sell any more and will return the rest of the stock to the manufacturer, he said.

Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission, Bob Collins, said the dolls were not appropriate.

"The world has moved on a great deal and everyone should move with it," he said.

The dolls have always provoked controversy for the image of black people they present.

Gollies were taken off the shelves at a shop in Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry, three months ago following a complaint.

The vendor was asked to remove them by the Western Health and Social Care Trust.

A leading manufacturer ditched the image as its mascot some years ago, after a flood of complaints.