GREAT-GRANDFATHER John Payne was stunned when a store assistant refused to let him buy fishing equipment until he could prove he was old enough.
Mr Payne, 73, from Wiltshire, was buying a fishing catapult at the Original Factory Shop in Melksham when he was asked to show valid identification proving he was over 18.
He said: “At first I thought that she was just trying to be humorous. But when I cheekily replied ‘do I look 18?’ she asked if I could prove it, and then asked me to verify this with some form of identification.
“At this point I realised that she was in fact being serious.
“As much as I am not impartial to a little humorous flattery, on this occasion I felt extremely humiliated by the assistant’s obvious lack of judgement and the suggestion that I was not a responsible enough adult to purchase a catapult designed for the purpose of firing maggots into the river to attract fish.”
Mr Payne then produced his driving licence, which he has held for 55 years.
“I am 73 years old and have grandchildren who are probably older than the girl serving me,” he said.
“I have a 50-year-old daughter for goodness sake.”
The great-grandfather of nine has been fishing in and around Wiltshire for more than 50 years and has never encountered this sort of problem before.
He said: “I have bought other equipment in the past with no trouble – surely it is obvious that I am going to use the catapult for its intended purpose.
“I understand that the girl had a job to do, but she should be able to show some discretion.”
Despite the humiliation, Mr Payne is now laughing about the incident, and willing to return to the store.
“I have told all my family and we have had a good laugh about it,” he said.
“Everyone keeps telling me I do not look that young for my age and my wife and daughter both think the assistant must have been mad.
“I had never shopped there before but I saw the catapult in the window and it was a lot cheaper than in a fishing shop. I will go back there if I need another one.”
A spokesperson for the store said: “I am sure the assistant was having a bit of fun with the customer and did not seriously expect him to show identification.
“This does prove that our staff are very vigilant about asking for identification.”