A BOURNEMOUTH supermarket has banned children from using wheeled shoes after a number of collisions involving shoppers.

The No Heelys sign has gone up at Asda Castlepoint, where manager Jason Hughes explained: We've had accidents in the store. Children kept running into people with their Heelys on, using it as a skating rink.

"The ban's been in place for a couple of weeks for the safety of our customers and the children wearing the Heelys.

"It's not a play area and we have to think about the safety of everybody, not just the minority."

Heelys were invented in the USA and rapidly became a worldwide success. Although the design is patented, a number of Asian companies have produced cheaper copycat versions.

The shoes look like ordinary trainers, but have wheels hidden in the soles. Users have to lift their toes to engage the wheels and glide. They stop by dragging the back of the heel down again.

In recent months, hospitals have noticed an increase in children falling and breaking limbs while using Heelys. One boy skated into the path of a car. Some doctors have also warned that the shoes could damage young tendons if used too often.

The manufacturers recommend that anyone using Heelys should wear wrist guards, elbow pads and safety helmets; and that they should only glide on flat, dry surfaces.

Because of the risk of accidents and collisions, Heelys have been banned from many schools, shops and other public areas, including Yeovil's main shopping areas and car parks.