THE mother of three children with ginger hair has blasted a York superstore for stocking Christmas cards which appear to make fun of redheaded youngsters.

While visiting the Tesco supermarket in Tadcaster Road, 30-year-old Davinia Philips was shocked to discover a Christmas card on sale which pictured a child with ginger hair, sitting on the knee of Father Christmas.

Above the picture were the words: “Santa loves all children – even ginger ones.”

Miss Philips of Dringhouses, herself a natural redhead, said the card was “discrimination – pure and simple.”

“I have shown it to a lot of friends and they are all disgusted by it. I just don’t find it funny at all. My three girls are beautiful. I have never seen anything in my life promoting making fun out of people with ginger hair – or maybe I am just been naïve. They shouldn’t be able to make fun like that – especially of children.”

Miss Philips said her sister-in-law, who also has ginger hair, had seen the card on sale at Tesco’s Clifton Moor branch too, but it had been removed from sale after she had complained. She said the store had told her that the cards were bought in and placed on the shelves by an outside agent.

Miss Philips said: “If it had been about a black child or an overweight child the store would have been shut down by now. Because they are such a big company I am disappointed they would sell something like that. They should be aware of what’s going on their shelves.”

Tesco has now issued an apology to Miss Philips and agreed to take the card from shelves in the two York stores.

A spokesman for Tesco said: “We sell a large range of Christmas cards, including some which are intended to be humorous. It is never our intention to offend any customer and we are sorry if this card caused any upset.”

The card manufacturers, the Essex-based Quitting Hollywood, were unavailable for comment.