A trans charity has been accused of sending chest binders to teenage girls without the knowledge or consent of their parents.

The Daily Mail said an undercover reporter had contacted the Manchester-based MORF charity pretending to be a 13-year-old transgender schoolgirl and was sent a chest binder free of charge.

She was also given the assurance of complete confidentiality and the binder was sent in an unmarked package, the newspaper said.

Chest binders are used by girls and women who identify as male to flatten their chests, but they have raised health concerns, with one research project finding that 97.2 per cent of surveyed users had reported at least one negative physical side effect, with the most common being back pain. Other complaints included overheating, chest pain and shortness of breath.

On its own website, MORF warns that chest-binding can lead to cracked ribs and tissue damage.

Campaign group Transgender Trend has previously equated wearing chest-binders with a form of self harm.

Conservative MP David Davies told the newspaper it was a 'scandal' that the charity, which is part of the LGBT Foundation, was sending out chest-binders to minors without parental consent.

The LGBT Foundation remains unapologetic about the scheme, saying in a statement that it had provided 'sensible, compassionate advice to someone pretending to be in need'.