GLASGOW shoppers have raised fears that "lethal" shoes with metal spikes on them could be used as a dangerous weapon.

The fashionable footwear, which includes boots, high heels and wedges, is being sold at shops across the city, including high street chain stores.

Some of the shoes have large metal spikes protruding from the front and across the toe cap, while others have spikes all over, or just on the heel.

Ashley McGibbon, a student from Tollcross, said she was injured by her friend's pair.

The 19-year-old said: "The spikes on my friend Caitlin's boots were all over the heel.

"I was helping her to take them off and you can only do that by holding onto the heel.

"When I took them off all the spikes went into my hand.

"If you're on a night out you could easily cause serious damage with them."

One shopper from the city's West End, noticed a pair of high-heeled shoes with spikes on the toe in a shoe shop.

She said: "They are lethal and look like they could be used as a dangerous weapon or could hurt someone accidentally."

Ruth Billman, 24, from the city centre, owns the Lita Spike pair currently available.

She said:"I love my new boots but the spikes on the back are solid and it does hurt quite a bit when you try to pull them off."

The shoes have been sold for around two years and have become more fashionable thanks to the popularity of embellishments, including studs and spikes, on the catwalk.

Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, co-director of Violence Reduction Unit, said police would confiscate dangerous items – but that the solution was not to ban potentially hazardous shoes.

He said: "While the police can and should remove dangerous items from violent people, we cannot ban shoes, be they spiked like these, or football boots or ice skates.

"As we know, knives or other sharp items, do not make people violent.

"If they did, it would simply be a case of banning these items."

rachel.loxton@ heraldand times.co.uk