Five-year-old boy refused entry to Tesco because of walking aid

 

A five-year-old disabled boy was told he could not go into a London Tesco store because he used a wheeled walking frame.

Sarah Francis, 29, said a security guard at the Osterley branch stopped her and her autistic son Mason at the entrance, saying they could not go in because the frame had wheels. Mason has a rare genetic disorder that affects his movement and speech, and Ms Francis said she told the security guard he needed the frame to walk.

She added: “He wouldn’t budge. It was unbelievable. When Mason walks with the aid, you can see he’s not having fun on it — it’s clearly not a toy.”

Ms Francis, a nursery nurse from Hillingdon, said she walked around the guard and carried on into the store.

A Tesco spokeswoman said: “We apologise for this misunderstanding. Our guard thought this was a scooter or bike, which are not allowed in.”

“As soon as he realised it was a mobility aid, he apologised and welcomed the customer and her son into the store."

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