GAS MASKS sold at army surplus stores are utterly useless against any chemical and biological attacks as it is illegal to sell them with the essential filters.

This is the message coming from Broad Oak Trading, in Goodmayes Road, Ilford, which sells army surplus equipment

Over the past week, fears of a terrorist using chemical or biological agents against the public have sent frightened citizens flocking to buy protective equipment.

But the 28-year-old store assistant, who asked not to be named, said: It is illegal to sell the foil-packed filters with gas masks as rioters would be protected against CS gas.

And if you are going to use NBC suits which protect the wearer against nuclear, biological and chemical agents you need to have an early detection system.

Receiving hundreds of calls this week, staff at the army surplus store were quick to put members of the public in the picture, telling them any masks they sell will not offer protection from germ warfare.

"If you were caught with a working gas mask you would be in a lot of trouble. The ones we sell are absolutely useless," said the assistant.