AN ANGRY father says his daughter was made to feel like a glue sniffer when supermarket staff refused to sell her air freshener.

Richard Hewitt said his 11-year-old daughter Claire was sent to Asda, at Whinfield, Darlington, for groceries, but became upset when checkout staff said she was too young to buy the air freshener her mother had put on her shopping list.

Mr Hewitt said there should have been a sign to say such products would not be sold to under-16s.

He said: "They told me they didn't have to put a sign up, but I think that unless they state it they can't stop her.

"They said they don't know if a child is a glue sniffer or a solvent abuser, but there's no solvent in this product."

Mrs Hewitt added: "You only have to look at my daughter to know she's not a glue sniffer."

A spokesman for the Responsible Retailer Campaign said the store was within its rights to refuse the sale.

He pointed out that two people died as a result of sniffing air freshener in 1998, the latest figures available.

He added: "It's not necessary for them to display a sign saying they will refuse to sell aerosols, but it's much more helpful if they do because then people know where they stand.

"It can be traumatic because if you're 11 and someone questions your motive for buying it, that's not very nice."

A spokesman for Asda said: "Air freshener is a grey area, but if there's any doubt then our staff exercise caution.

"If we caused any offence then we apologise, but we'd rather be criticised for being cautious than being lax."