TRADING standards officers in Worcestershire say they will hold to their policy of "educate and persuade" despite a landmark court ruling on weights and measures.

Sunderland Magistrates Court last week convicted a market trader of selling a bunch of bananas in a purely Imperial measure.

The case tested the validity of the Weights and Measures Act 1985, an amendment of which came force on January 1 last year, bringing Britain in line with the European metric system.

Opponents had argued that enforcing metric was illegal under existing British law and interpret the latest judgement as a victory for European law over British law.

Mark Strain, principal trading standards officer with Worcestershire County Council, said the authority will not be rushing to bring prosecutions despite clarification of the law.

He said the authority was keen to work with traders to ensure loose goods, such as fruit and vegetables, are sold first in metric, with an explanation of the Imperial equivalent, if requested.

"As time goes on, and we are probably talking many months down the line, if people will not go to comply, we will investigate further," he added.

Ian Morris, the UK Independence Party prospective parliamentary candidate for West Worcestershire, joined party leader and Euro-MP Jeffrey Titford on a public protest in the town last June. Mr Titford visited Cridlan and Walker to buy chicken in Imperial measures to try and provoke a test case.

Mr Morris said the case was about freedom of choice and said the implications of the judgement "are almost unthinkable".

"Four Prime Ministers - Wilson, Heath, Callaghan and Thatcher - all promised that metrication would be a voluntary process," he said.

"Compulsory metrication has never appeared in any political party's General Election manifesto."