Five traders have started the first stage of an appeal to the House of Lords, after being convicted of selling goods in imperial measures.

The "metric martyrs" - who are from London, Surrey, Wearside and Cornwall - were prosecuted by trading standards and lost a high court appeal in February.

Their counsel suggested that making it "a criminal offence to sell a pound of bananas in order to please Brussels" threatened to cause a "deep constitutional crisis".

On Friday Julian Harman, of Camelford, Cornwall, claimed the British public had been deceived over the extent of Britain's involvement in Europe.

'Govern ourselves'

"I think people are now realising that successive governments over the last 30 years have lied to them about the EC.

"People have been led to believe that we were sovereign and we were governing ourselves, but last week in London that was proved not to be the case.

"I think that was what has incensed the majority of the people - they've been lied to."

After the high court appeal was rejected, Sunderland market trader Steven Thoburn - fined for selling bananas by the pound - said the fight would go to the House of Lords.

Neil Herron, spokesman for the five traders, said defeat had meant "the death of democracy" but also pledged the fight would continue.