A KINSON man has hit out at a supermarket's 'petty' ban on e-cigarettes.

Frank Cornick, 63, who lives in Castleton Avenue, said that he was walking around the newly-opened store on Wimborne Road when he was informed by a member of staff that he was not allowed to use the e-cigarette inside the store.

He told them that he would only stop using the device if that was confirmed by the store manager, which a female member of staff did.

Mr Cornick said said: "There are no signs anywhere to say this. It is just petty and I don't see the harm in it as it is legal to do. I don't understand why.

"I said to the manager: 'If I am not allowed to puff on this in the store, then I will not come back again.' We go in there every week to do our weekly shop and spend around £100 to £150 each time."

Mr Cornick said that he understood that shops have their own policies such as putting on a t-shirt before going indoors, but did not understand this one, nor was it made clear to him before he went into Tesco.

"What about people with inhalers or those Vick's Vapour Rub products for colds? I wonder how far it will go," he said.

"Surely they don't have the power to stop me doing something that is legal.

"I would question that decision to ban e-cigarettes entirely considering that there is no scientific proof to suggest that they are harmful."

A spokesperson for Tesco said: "Our aim is to provide a safe and healthy environment for our colleagues and customers and as such smoking is not allowed in our stores.

"Current research suggests there may be risks to passive smokers from e-cigarettes and as such the same restrictions apply."