A scratchcard to raise money for the Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fund has gone on sale, despite criticism that it is tasteless.

Littlewoods Lotteries said that charities and charitable causes will benefit from the 10 million scratchcards that are going on sale on a non-profit basis across the country.

The cards will bear the official logo of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, and have been endorsed by the Fund's Trustees.

Each card will cost £1. Out of that, a fifth will be donated to the Princess's Fund, nearly half will go in prize money, and more than a fifth will go in administration costs such as printing and distribution.

Littlewoods said any money left over will go to the Fund.

But some supermarket chains have already decided not to stock the scratchcards, saying they are not befitting to the memory of the Princess.

Martin Linton, from the Home Affairs Select Committee, described the idea of a Princess Diana scratchcard as "tacky" and "tasteless".

Martin Linton, MP: "tacky and tasteless"

"I think the whole idea of a Princess Diana scratchcard is out of keeping with the whole memory of Princess Diana, particularly because we have just had very recent research showing that something like five per cent of children are now compulsive gamblers, and a lot of that is to do with scratchcards," he said.

But another charity, which raises money with a Littlewoods' scratchcard, believes Princess Diana would have approved.

"It's benefited the Roy Castle foundation to the tune of some £2.5m, and it's been vital to us in building the world's first lung cancer research centre," said Sylvia Ingham from the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

Littlewoods said they will make no money themselves out of the Diana scratchcards.
 

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