Mum says five-year-old was refused toilet at Tesco Express despite crying in pain

A mum has hit out at Tesco after her daughter was refused access to the toilet despite crying in pain.

Sarah Brooks had stopped off at the Tesco Esso Express in Hazel Grove, Stockport, as five-year-old Mia was desperate for a wee and they wanted to pick up her favourite drink for their planned Sunday afternoon trip to feed the ducks.

But the mum-of-one said a staff member stocking the shelves 'bluntly' refused her request, despite her explaining that the youngster is being investigated for autism and was getting more distressed at trying to hold it in.

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"Mia was in hysterics and crying and saying 'I really need the toilet mummy' and the woman working there could clearly see how distressed and upset she was getting, even my daughter looked at her and said 'please'," said Sarah, who lives in Offerton.

"Her response was very blunt and she just said 'no, it's staff only'. She told us there was a pub across the road, or if we couldn't use that, then there was a McDonald's down the road."

Sarah, 35, said she was 'disgusted' with the 'rude' response and has complained to Tesco.

Hearing that they'd been refused the toilet, husband Simon, put down the drinks they had planned to buy and they quickly began to head home.

"We just got back in the car and thought it would be quicker to try to get home by this point," said Sarah.

"But thankfully we came across a Sainsbury's with a petrol station and they said 'there's a customer toilet right there'. We explained what had happened and they said that even if theirs had been a staff toilet and not a customer toilet they would still have let her use it.

"No child should be left in such discomfort. In fact no