A MENTAL health trust has slammed a supermarket giant for selling ‘mental patient’ Halloween costumes.

The chief executive of 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which supports patients with mental health problems in Halton, Knowsley, St. Helens, Wigan and Warrington, said the decision by Asda was ‘utterly shocking’.

Asda bosses quickly apologised and withdrew the £20 outfit it was selling online which included fake blood, a mask and a fake meat cleaver after criticism last week.

National reports also described retailers Tesco and Amazon selling a Halloween outfit including an orange boiler suit with ‘Psycho Ward’ written across the front and back, along with a ‘Committed’ stamp below.

But Simon Barber, chief executive of 5 Boroughs, said: “We welcomed the public condemnation which shows that – quite rightly - there is no appetite for these grossly offensive items.

“Mental illnesses are very real medical conditions in the same way that physical health conditions are.

“Disability is not a ‘costume’ to dress up in.

“Through our ‘Sticks and Stones’ campaign, we have been trying to stamp out mental health stigma and find it extremely encouraging to hear so many people speaking out about this disgraceful error of judgement.”