A LARKHILL mum is campaigning for supermarkets and toy shops to make fancy dress costumes more accessible for children who wear glasses.

Kelly Hughes said her son Alfie, aged five, is “blind as a bat” without the glasses he has worn since he was three.

“It is coming to a point where parties are quite popular, especially superhero parties,” she said. “We buy the outfits from high-street brands and a lot of them come with a mask, but they aren’t made to wear with glasses.”

She said she realised there was a “gap in the market” as many children wear glasses.

Kelly has contacted a number of shops and brands to see what can be done about creating masks that can be worn over glasses.

“I think it’s going to be a long, drawn-out process and I’m not sure anything will happen,” she said.

“A lot of mums have said they totally agree with me.

“If I had the knowledge I would make something.”

Kelly said she had spoken to Specsavers opticians, who told her children should be “loud and proud about glasses”.

“It’s almost discouraging for them when they want to dress up as a superhero - you shouldn’t really stamp on a five-year-old’s dream just because they wear glasses.”

She said Alfie is “quite a positive boy” and she tries not to make him feel different “but deep down children are aware of it”.

“It’s just a shame really, and I’m sure it can’t be that hard to make some adaption to the masks.”

A spokesman for Specsavers said: “We agree with Kelly that everyone should be able to feel proud of wearing their specs rather than self-conscious.

“Specsavers, like all other optical retailers on the high street, is committed to providing fashionable and appealing glasses for youngsters to wear with pride.”