A mum has slammed a toy store for selling 'immoral' WWE toys that encourage children to smash up a model ambulance.
Sabrina Fitzsimons, 41, was appalled when she spotted an advert for the WWE 'Wrekkin Slambulance Vehicle' on TV last month, which she says carries a 'message of violence' towards NHS vehicles and workers.
Sabrina was sat on the sofa watching telly with NHS healthcare assistant partner Chrissie, 56, when the advert came on, and Sabrina says she could see Chrissie was 'visibly upset' by it.
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In the ad, WWE star Drew McIntyre declares kids can 'tear the slambulance apart for the ultimate brawl' - including smashing a stretcher out of the back doors.
Different characters then proceed to boot through the ambulance's side panel, ripping lights, windows and doors off the vehicle and attacking others with them.
On the Smyths Toys website the £40 Mattel toy, suitable for children aged six upwards, boasts 'wrekkable' bumper, side panels, doors and light panels.
The description reads: "This wrekkable WWE vehicle has over 8 breakaway pieces to smash through for endless wrekkin’ action.
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"Press the chaos button to send the spring-loaded stretcher shooting out of the Slambulance, crashing through the rear doors as it goes. Just strap your WWE figures on the stretcher to bring Slambulance action to life.
"Breakaway pieces easily fit back into place – so you can crush the hood to uncover the engine, smash your WWE figures through the top of the Slambulance and then piece it all back together for your next WWE brawl."
After being horrified at the advert, Sabrina penned a complaint email and criticised the store on social media, but claims she was 'fobbed off'.
"This toy is massively inappropriate," she said.
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"I wouldn't purchase that for my child and I certainly wouldn't get behind advertising it, I just think you're crossing a line of ethics and morals.
"Toys are supposed to teach our children, not only be fun. When I saw it I just thought 'what a time to be advertising a toy like this to children'.
"These people in the health care sector saved our lives. To advocate for a toy that perpetuates the message of violence towards the vehicles and the people that help us, I just think 'what kind of message are you sending to children here?' How is that ok?
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"WWE has a huge following from littles ones right up to adults, including my 13-year-old son, I think it's just such the wrong message.
"I wasn't trying to be a 'Karen' but I just found it really offensive given the pressure I know the services have been under and the sacrifices that they've made. I could see that the advert really upset my partner.
"I work in retail and you use some degree of common sense. If that fell on my desk and I was told 'we're going to advertise this' I would be asking questions.
"Is this good at any time, not just after a pandemic, to advocate violence against emergency workers? It's never a good thing."
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After complaining, Sabrina says she received identical responses from Smyths Toys. The message reads: "Hi there! Thanks for [sic] in touch.
"Apologies for any disappointment caused by this. I can see from our system that you have been in touch with an agent regarding this issue.
"Apologies again for any upset or disappointment caused. Best wishes!"
Sabrina said: "Smyths Toys said exactly the same in their email response to me that they said on Facebook, that was it.
"I would like to have seen some kind of [acknowledgement] 'oh actually you make a valid point here, we need to go back and maybe reconsider it'.
"Instead it was 'sorry it offended you', I think they completely missed the message. It won't just have offended me, it offended my partner who goes to work everyday to help other people in the emergency services.
"A lot of her friends work there, she's witnessed and been party to having violence against her and her friends and her colleagues like I myself have in retail.
"We're trying to curb that and get that message across that it's not acceptable and they're perpetuating a toy that is telling kids that it is at a very young and impressionable age. I think it's so wrong."
WWE stated that the toy is made by Mattel and sold by Smyths.
Tyla has reached out to Smyths and Mattel for comment.
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