Next drops Pan Am jumper after Lockerbie complaints

The jumper was dropped from the Next marketplace after a petition was launched

Retail giant Next has dropped a Pan Am Christmas jumper from its website after complaints from Lockerbie residents.

A petition over the sweater gathered more than 1,000 signatures before the item was removed.

The bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in 1988 resulted in the deaths of 270 people when it crashed into the south of Scotland town.

Next apologised for any upset it had caused by offering the jumper for sale in its marketplace section.

The petition was launched by Phil Geddes who was a resident of Lockerbie at the time of the bombing.

• The town scarred by Pan Am Flight 103

He described it as an event that had left an "indelible mark" on the lives of a large number of people.

"It is with this personal experience that I raise my voice against a product currently being sold by Next," he said.

"This item, in its design or message, is offensive and disrespectful to those affected by this tragic event.

"The pain and trauma it caused are still felt today by countless individuals around the world."

He said that to market such a product was "not only insensitive but also deeply hurtful".

A total of 270 people died in the Lockerbie bombing on 21 December 1988

Mr Geddes's petition was supported by more than 1,500 people and the company confirmed it had removed the product from its website.

"In response to customer contact, Next removed the All+Every third-party branded items from its marketplace over the weekend," said a statement.

"We apologise for any upset caused."

A total of 259 passengers and crew and 11 locals died in the bombing of the Pan Am plane which was travelling from London to New York shortly before Christmas.

The 35th anniversary of the tragedy is approaching later this month.

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