An RSPCA charity shop has received complaints after it displayed two 'golliwog' dolls in its window for sale.
Members of the public blasted the 'outdated and offensive' toys and the Cotswolds Dog & Cats Home shop has since stopped selling the dolls.
Forty-five-year-old Graham Waller said he couldn't believe what he was seeing when he walked past the shop and saw the dolls.
"I took a double-take while walking past as I was shocked to see golliwogs on sale in this day and age," he said.
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"Seeing an outdated and offensive stereotype in a public place, and especially in a charity shop and at the level of passing children, was concerning."
Show Racism the Red Card charity has said it was 'saddened' to see the 'racist' items on sale in the shop.
A spokesperson for the charity said: "The sale of these dolls perpetuate racism as they hark back to a time when the mockery and stereotyping of black people was considered a social norm.
"SRtRC urges the public to refrain from buying such overtly racist items and we hope the shop selling the dolls would consider taking them out of the store as one cannot profit on the oppression of an entire community.
"In a multicultural and ethnically diverse Britain, such items no longer have a place."
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The manager of the RSCPA shop selling the items, Kirstin Maycock, has said the dolls have since been pulled from sale.
She said: "We would never wish to cause offence when selling a donated item.
"Our team are always reluctant to commit to the rubbish bin items that are in good condition.
"However, on this occasion the donation should not have been put out for sale and has now been removed from the shop floor and will not be sold.
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"We would like to take this opportunity of thanking our community for their continued support. It makes a huge difference to the wonderful animals we care for."
But Jenny Hincks, Cirencester town councillor, has said the dolls are 'personal preference', adding that it isn't up to her to tell shops what to sell.
"If it does offend someone maybe it would be of benefit for them to go into the shop and ask them to remove it from the window," she said.
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"It doesn't mean the shop can't sell it, as that is their prerogative. Personally, it doesn't offend me.
"I expect there are people who are scared of them. There are people who have strange phobias.
"I do understand and respect people's point of view that it is offensive. But it's not my right to tell a shop they can't sell something."
Featured Image Credit: SWNS