BBC Thursday, 26 April, 2001, 00:43 GMT 01:43 UK

Inventor unveils bra with firepower

Paxton Quigley is an expert in personal safety An American inventor has designed the world's first - and so far only - combined brassiere and gun holster.

The underwear is designed to hold a .38 calibre snub-nose revolver, and also has room for a pepper spray.

The bra is the brainchild of Paxton Quigley, a Beverly Hills security consultant more used to protecting the stars.

But Ms Quigley - who has dubbed her invention the Super-Bra, expects huge demand for the $30 (£21) underwear.

Designed to hold a gun on one side and a pepper spray on the other, its dual-capability makes it legal virtually everywhere in America, where pepper spray can be carried by civilians as well as police.

'Ease of access'

"Women like the idea of comfort and its ease of access," she told the Washington Times newspaper.

Many states in America allow people to carry "concealed" handguns as protection, although Ms Quigley's device is probably the first to use women's underwear as a holster.

"If a woman is attacked, the purse is the first thing taken from her," she said. "A good place to conceal a weapon is in the chest area."

Described as "equal parts Victoria's Secret and Guns & Ammo magazine", in reference to the American lingerie chain and top-selling firearms magazine, the bra is available in utilitarian black or white.

It is strictly functional though - no lace, no underwiring and the only choice other than size is whether women fire with their left or right hands.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2001