It has emerged that nicotine refills that have been on sale in shops could potentially be deadly to children.

The electronic cigarettes designed to help people give up smoking were on sale in Inverness for two months before trading standards officers introduced an immediate ban.

Following an investigation it was revealed that the amount of nicotine in each refill could be lethal to a small child.

Gordon Robb, Highland Council's principal trading standards officer, has issued a warning to people urging them to keep the product out of the reach of children.

He told the Press and Journal: "On the analysis we carried out, a single refill cartridge, which is small enough to be easily swallowed, was found to contain many times more nicotine than would be found in a cigarette.

"It contained enough that if swallowed could kill a young child."

Keith Webster, who runs All Points North where the electronic cigarettes were on sale, explained he had used the product to help him quit smoking and stocked the kits in "good faith".

He said: "Nicotine is classed as a poison, which means the product must have some sort of child lock."

Mr Robb added: "Neither the electronic cigarette nor the refill cartridges involved here are licensed and have therefore not had a formal safety assessment.

"The refill cartridge packaging bore none of the warnings, tactile labelling or child resistance that is legally required for such a toxic substance, making the safety risk that these products represent all the higher."

The electronic cigarettes were supplied by the Lancashire-based Electronic Cigarette Store.

A statement posted on the company's website said: "Due to concerns shown from our local trading standards office we have suspended all sales of all E.Liquid type products due to their high nicotine content level.

"This high level of nicotine could endanger the life of a young child if swallowed.

"All customers who have previously purchased any of our E.Liquid products, please act responsibly and ensure that they are kept and stored away from children."