HOW humiliating and degrading can a supermarket get when refusing to serve a gentleman of 72 years with alcohol because he would not confirm he was over 21 when asked by staff at West Derby, Merseyside (Echo, Sept 20).

A Morrisons spokesman said: "We take our responsibilities with regards to selling alcohol very seriously and all our stores operate the Task 21 scheme."

Do these people not realise the stupidity of such actions?

I wonder how they would feel if they were out with their parents who were asked to produce proof of age before being served.

I am 60 years young, suffer from arthritis, have snow white hair, have hair growing from my nose and ears and, on occasion, ache from head to toes, yet according to some bureaucratic policies, I may at some point be thought to be under 21 and asked to produce proof.

Ray Vincent, Darlington.