New illegal devices marketed as just the thing to fend off unwanted advances

The handheld devices, which are capable of hurling a stream of fire half a metre long, sell between 90 to 300 yuan on e-commerce site Taobao. Photo / Telegraph video

By Neil Connor in Beijing

A flame-thrower that can hurl a stream of fire half a metre long is being marketed in China to help women fend off unwanted advances.

The device is being billed on shopping websites as a "must-have anti-pervert weapon" that can be discreetly carried in a handbag.

Some are shaped like a cigarette lighter and emit small flames, while others hurl fire for 50cm with temperatures of up to 1800C.

The flame-throwers sell from about £10 to more than £30 on e-commerce sites, and one vendor boasted to local media how they can "scald or even disfigure an attacker".

Police have warned that the devices are against the law, but they were still being sold on the Chinese internet yesterday.

"Flames and the super high temperatures are enough to scare the bad guys away," said one website, which added that the flames can last for 30 minutes.