Anger after being wrongly accused of theft - twice

Susan Ford, a Morley market stall manager, claims she was left embarrassed and made to feel like a criminal by supermarket staff at Asda, in Morley, after attendants twice confronted her about stealing fuel.

The saga has dragged on for almost a year and Asda has now lifted her ban, which also applied to the supermarket itself, and promised her a bunch of flowers in compensation – which she must collect herself.

After filling her car up with £20.01 of fuel and paying for it at Asda Morley on July 6 last year, Ms Ford claims that on her next visit staff alleged she had “done a runner” but then recognised the error and served her before she returned on June 8 this year when a worker shouted across the forecourt that she was “banned”.

An Asda spokeswoman said the firm can’t explain the July 6 error due to a change in staff but has apologised.

The 55-year-old, who lives in Batley, has since contacted store bosses and shown them bank statements to prove the payment but feels she deserves an explanation, and won’t be collecting the flowers.

“I was just utterly appalled. They seemed so blasé about it and I’ve been accused twice of being a thief and they had nothing to back it up. No apology or nothing,” she said.

“And for them to then offer me a bunch of flowers and I’ve got to go and pick them up – it will probably cost me more in fuel to get there.”

Having managed Barker’s Curtain Corner, in Morley Market, for 17 years, she believes she could teach the supermarket giant a thing or two about customer service as her customer comment book can testify.

She added: “It’s something they could learn from.”