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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Joe Burn

Man, 76, banned from Asda store after breaking lockdown rules to use toilet

An elderly cancer survivor has been banned from his local Asda store after he breached lockdown rules to go to the toilet.

Retired oatcake shop owner Graham Dunn says he is now barred from the branch in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent following the incident.

The 76-year-old revealed he suffers from bladder cancer which means he needs the toilet every 15 minutes during the day.

On Monday, he was forced to stand in the queue after missing the special OAP shopping hour by 30 minutes.

By the time he reached the front of the queue he was so desperate he defied the social distancing rules to rush to the toilet.

Four security guards and a member of staff demanded he leave the store once he emerged from the men's facilites.

For the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, read our liveblog here

The retiree was forced to queue after missing the slot for OAP shoppers (Stoke Sentinel / BPM Media)

The grandad-of-15, from Stoke, said: "The previous four Mondays I had been to Asda and there had been a queue, but usually pensioners are allowed to go ahead of it.

"On this particular day I had got there at about 9.30am because the post office doesn't open until 9am and I had to go there first.

"I was stopped just before the door, but because of my bladder cancer I need to go to the toilet every 15 or 20 minutes in the day and hourly during the night.

"I said to a security guard, 'how is it we've not been to allowed go straight into the store?' and he told me the NHS and pensioner hour is 8am to 9am.

Asda confirmed that he is now banned from their Tunstall branch (File image) (Mercury)

"He told me I could not go straight to the toilet and that I would have to go down the aisles first.

"But I went anyway and then started my shopping. The next minute, four security guards and a member of staff told me to get out or they would phone the police."

The great-grandfather-of-three added: "I felt terrible. I was upset all day when it happened and had nothing to eat. I was just shaking. I don't feel anyone listened to my side of the story."

Graham says he has had previous dealings with the member of staff. But disputes Asda's version of 'past incidents' involving him.

He added: "I've had a chat with him before over cakes which were out of date by one day. I have been told they have body-cam footage of me swearing but I did not swear. I have asked to see the footage and if I did swear then I will apologise."

Asda has confirmed Graham is now banned from the store.

A spokesman said: "We do not tolerate any form of abuse or violence towards colleagues or customers which is why this customer has now been banned from our store.

"Banning customers is always a last resort. However, given the nature of this, and past incidents involving this customer, we feel this decision was necessary on this occasion."

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