Asda 'mental patient' outfit 'horrific'

Supermarket chain Asda has apologised and withdrawn a Halloween outfit it was selling online as a "mental patient fancy dress costume" after criticism.

The £20 item included fake blood, a mask and a fake meat cleaver.

The company has offered "sincere apologies for the offence it has caused", and said it would be making a "very sizeable donation" to mental health charity Mind.

Sue Baker from the Time for Change mental health charity told the Today programme's John Humphrys that it was the use of the words "mental patient" that was "damaging" and "horrific".

It promoted "stigma and discrimination" and gave the wrong message that people should be scared of those who had used mental health services, she explained.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday 26 September 2013.