STEVE THOBURNSteven Thoburn was a greengrocer from Sunderland who became known affectionately as the first Metric Martyr.He stood up for the rights of his customers to choose to buy their fruit and vegetables in imperial measures and became the first person to be charged and prosecuted under the Metrication Regulations for 'selling a pound of bananas'. The city council convicted him in 2001 because he had used a set of scales with only imperial weights.He died of a heart attack at the age of 39 on 14 March 2004 having tried and failed to clear his name. He had been due to celebrate his 40th birthday later that month.His friend, fishmonger Neil Herron led the campaign for the customers' right to choose and the fight to clear Mr Thoburn's name.A website set up for the Metric Martyrs campaign - www.metricmartyrs.co .uk - tells how Mr Thoburn owned three fruit and veg shops across the city and usually began his day at 3am when he would make his way to the wholesale market to buy produce for his business and the businesses run by his brothers Kevin and Eddie."Steve was always at the heart of the business as he ‘loved the frisk’ with the customers. The cheek and mischievous, sharp wit meant that he was loved by everyone and he was generous to a fault. The salesmen at the wholesale market would say he was the most ruthless buyer, but the savings were always passed on to customers. He would be the first to give to charity and local groups and would refuse no-one," said metricmartyrs.co.ukO n the Sunday that he died, Mr Thoburn had been enjoying a rare day at home, but woke at 5am feeling unwell, and complained to his wife Leigh that he had chest pains. He got up and went downstairs, but collapsed. An ambulance arrived in minutes but all attempts to revive him failed and he died in Leigh’s arms.Steve had three children, Georgia, Jay and Rhys.At the time of his death, Neil Herron paid tribute saying: "Steve was a man who lived for his family and was devoted to Leigh and the children. He was a man of principles who took everything in his stride. Everyone who knew Steve loved him. There was nothing hidden. What you saw was what you got. He was one of us. Even journalists and people who met him through the campaign became personal friends. He was an extraordinary ‘ordinary’ man the like of whom are very rare."In October 2008 the Government effectively banned councils from prosecuting any more traders for what it regards as "essentially minor offences".John Denham, the Innovation Secretary, said he was planning to issue guidelines to local authorities preventing them taking such cases to court as it was no longer considered to be "in the public interest".
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