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<\/p>\nA MUM was left in tears after B&M "kicked out" her autistic son for touching an item labelled "try me."<\/p>\n
Furious Natalie Birks claims he was asked to leave the store after he touched some lava lamps. <\/p>\n
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She said she left the store in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, in tears and without completing her shop following the incident with son Brandon, 15, and will now boycott all branches.<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old told \u00a0Stoke-on-Trent Live said: \u201cWe walked in and first of all we walked over to the lava lamps which he wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a massive sign on these lamps saying \u2018please try me\u2019."<\/p>\n
On showing Natalie which lamp he wanted, Brandon touched the lamp and a staff member jumped in to tell them not to touch it. <\/p>\n
When they questioned why, they were told "because I said so."<\/p>\n
On heading to the toy aisle to buy something, they were then stopped in their tracks as an employee approached them asking them to leave for having touched things despite Natalie explaining that her son had autism.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cWhen he gets excited he flaps his hands. He doesn\u2019t understand much and was confused when he was asked to leave. I said he could not leave by himself because of his autism and he wouldn\u2019t know where to go. He would end up getting run over.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey told me we all needed to leave. In my eyes he didn\u2019t do anything wrong. All he did was touch a lava lamp.\u201d<\/p>\n
Natalie has lodged a complaint with B&M. She says the member of staff also accused her son of "trying to steal" – an allegation which she completely refutes.<\/p>\n
The mother-of-three added: \u201cI was upset and crying. He was confused more than anything. <\/p>\n
"He went in thinking he was going to pick some things and he came out with nothing. One of the ladies who worked there was lovely. She came out to us and made sure we were okay.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has autism so touching things is the only way he could tell me that he wants them. Everybody touches things. How are you meant to pick anything if you can\u2019t touch it?<\/p>\n
\u201cAutism is totally different for everyone. It feels like he is being discriminated against for having autism and for being the way he is. I complained to the customer service.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hadn\u2019t got his coat on, he had his Ipad in one hand, and he was trying to touch a lava lamp with the other hand; he wouldn\u2019t know how to steal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will not be going to that branch. It\u2019s not fair that my son should feel victimised. We were only in there for three minutes before we were kicked out. You can\u2019t always see disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
B&M has been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n
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