A pensioner with cancer was told not to come back to a car boot sale after asking to use a toilet.

Simon Sprecher is a regular at the car boot sale at St Augustine's CE High School in Kilburn Park Road which he has attended for many years.

The 77-year-old, who does handy man jobs for other pensioners, was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago and carries a medical card to let people know he should be allowed to access loos if he needs to.

While attending a car boot sale on September 28 he needed the toilet and showed a supervisor his card saying he was going to use the loo.

As he walked towards it, he was horrified when she followed him and shouted at him that the toilets were only for stall holders.

The father-of-two said: "I was in desperate need and after I had finished she told me that I can't use the toilet and if I can't control myself that I should stop coming."

Knowing the car boot sale had a café with 16 seats, Mr Sprecher looked up the legal requirements of the hospitality industry on his smart phone and showed the supervisor that toilets should be provided at any venue with 10 or more seats.

He claims she brushed it off, saying she could remove six seats if that would make him happy.

He said: "I have never been refused the use of a toilet if I have my card, this was the first time.

"I was shocked and disgusted by the experience."

Car Boot London, which is not linked to the school but has operated on the site for 29 years, said: "There appears to be a misunderstanding regarding use of the toilets for our disabled customers visiting the car boot sale.  

"We have many shoppers with disabilities that are of course permitted to use the toilet facilities.

"We will be undertaking staff training this weekend to ensure that all of our staff understand about the presentation of medical cards."

Eugene Moriarty, head of the St Augustine’s Federated Schools, said: "Whilst the car boot sale is not run by the school, I would expect any activity on the school site to take into account the  ethos and values of the school. Kindness and empathy are very important to us.

"I have spoken to the organiser of the car boot sale, who has explained that there was clearly a misunderstanding with Mr Sprecher being denied access to use our toilet facilities.

"The organiser has informed me that anyone who has a disability, including Mr Sprecher, who wishes to use the toilets, is of course permitted.

"I will write to Mr Sprecher and apologise for any misunderstanding that took place and for the experience that he had."