Published: Friday, 4th July, 2008 12:00pm

Did shoes do this to my feet?

A GREENOCK man claims he was left with severe blistering and scarring on his feet - after buying a new pair of trainers.

Jim Lamont, 60, of Branchton, said: 'They look as if someone poured a kettle of boiling water over them.'

He bought the £25 pair of "Route 21" brown trainers from a Greenock shop in April.

Soon after, he said his feet were left with burns and peeling skin.

He has been off work for two weeks because he said it is too painful to walk, and has been signed off for another fortnight.

The call centre adviser said his doctor told him it was possible a chemical may have leaked out of the shoes and caused a reaction on his feet, which became badly blistered.

But as yet there is no evidence to support this, as the shoes are being tested by the suppliers.

He said: 'I have no existing health problem and I"ve never had a problem with my feet before.

'I haven"t changed the type of socks I wear or the type of washing powder.

'I"ve been told my feet will never be the same again. The skin will be a different colour to the rest of my body.'

The shoes were supplied by UKD Distributors of Fleckney, Leicestershire. UKD director Guy Marlow declined to give any information about the manufacturer, but said: 'The shoes are being tested. I can"t say anything until that is completed.'

Mr Lamont claimed he wore the trainers for one day in April and suffered blisters, but he believed this had been caused by another new pair of shoes he had been wearing for a month. His doctor gave him cream which seemed to clear up the condition. He put on the trainers again on 13 June and claimed his feet became painful after a short walk.

'There was brown dye all over my socks,' he said, 'and my feet started to blister again, but it was even worse than before.

'A doctor put me on penicillin and I"m still being visited by the district nurse to get dressings changed. I don"t get paid when I"m off sick.'

The shoes were bought at Smith"s, of West Blackhall Street, who said they had sent them to the supplier for analysis.

Shop manager Keith Wilson said: 'As part of an investigation to determine whether the shoes or, indeed, anything else, have contributed to this condition, Mr Lamont visited our shop and asked if we would have them examined.

'These shoes are in a laboratory being tested by the suppliers, who have said they have never had an issue like this before and have sold a significant number of the shoes in the United Kingdom.

'We care for all our customers and we are treating this as a priority.'

A report from the suppliers is expected in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, Smith"s have asked Mr Lamont for a medical report and pictures of his feet.

The pictures have been sent to UKD and the medical report is expected by the end of the week.

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