SHOP assistants were lost for words when a customer who had bought a CD demanded the free gift that had been promised in a television advertising campaign.
Staff at Gateshead's MetroCentre had to explain to the insistent shopper that the gift, an "air guitar", was made of no more than just that- air.
The woman had taken seriously a Virgin advertisement promising the free item with every copy of the CD, The Best Air Guitar Album In The World Ever.
The album is a compilation of rock classics which inspire fans to mime an imaginary guitar in front of the mirror.
Graham Prior, deputy manager at WHSmith at the MetroCentre, said: "After the customer had paid for the CD, she waited at the till and asked for the free air guitar.
"Staff tried to explain but she was not happy. She wanted her free air guitar."
After the assistants eventually managed to explain what exactly an air guitar was, she left a happy customer.
Mr Prior added: "We should have carefully picked up an imaginary guitar and given it to her and told her not to damage it because we would not be able to take it back."
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