A customer was refused a wet wipe in a halal-only branch of KFC because they are soaked in alcohol and might offend Muslim diners.

Graham Noakes was visiting a branch of the fast food chain in St George's Retail Oark, Leicester, when he asked to use a wet wipe.

But staff said they did not stock wipes because they are soaked in alcohol, which is banned in Islam.

Graham Noakes, 41, left, was refused a wet wipe in a KFC halal-only branch in Leicester, pictured right

A spokesman for KFC has since said that the incident was a misunderstanding and that alcohol-based wet wipes are not banned by the company.

Mr Noakes said: 'They told me it might offend other customers. I explained that it wouldn't affect me.

'In fact - I told them I like alcohol, so it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. When they wouldn't give me one, I was disgusted. I will never be going to KFC again.'

The 41-year-old added: 'I've never experienced anything like this before, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

'Why shouldn't I be allowed a wipe for my hands? They use wipes in hospital, what happens when we start being told we can't have wipes there? I just can't understand it.'

The father-of-two, who lives in Birmingham, was working in Leicester on the construction of a new Muslim community centre when the incident took place.

The branch, in St George's Retail Parkm said it could not give out wet wipes because they contain alcohol and might offend Muslim customers

A KFC spokesman said the company had been running a halal-only trial since 2010 in areas where there has been demand from customers.

He added that, in those stores, some products from the usual menu are not available.

He said this particular restaurant removed its wet wipes because it was uncertain on company policy.

Most wet wipes are alcohol-based. A KFC spokesman said the incident was a misunderstanding

The spokesman said the branch has now been informed that is is allowed to stock alcohol-based wet wipes and has already brought some into the store.

He said: 'Our alcohol-based hand wipes are approved for use in all our restaurants, including those who are part of the halal trial.

'There was a misunderstanding at the store in question, but the wipes are now being used again. We’re sorry for the customer’s experience.'

Suleman Nagdi, spokesman for the Leicester-based Federation of Muslim Organisations, said: 'I know alcohol is prohibited in the Muslim community, but I don't understand why you can't use hand-wipes - there's nothing wrong with it.

'Using alcohol doesn't mean you're consuming it. It seems like an unusual decision to be made. In fact, it sounds bizarre.'

Suleman said such decisions potentially provoked some people to start 'lashing out' at the Muslim community.

'I've never come across anything like this before. KFC have made a commercial decision to do this, and now the Muslim community will face backlash.'

In Arabic the word Halal means ‘permitted’ or ‘lawful’ and defines anything that is allowed or lawful according to the Koran.

It is often used to indicate food – particularly meat – that has been prepared in accordance with Muslim principles and techniques.