A dad has described how he was stopped from buying a bottle of wine at a Tesco store - while shopping with his 17-year-old son.

Karl Hall, 48, was joined by his boy, Kane, when he went to the counter at the Leicester store to purchase the wine and some chocolate.

He claims both he and Kane were asked for ID - and when the cashier found out his son's age, they told him he couldn't buy the wine.

Karl considers himself a fairly loyal customer at the shop - but now says that employees made him feel like a "criminal".

He told the Leicester Mercury: "I went to the counter with a bottle of wine and some chocolate with my 17 year-old son with me.

"We were both asked for ID and after the employee behind the counter found out the age of my son I was told I could not buy the wine."

(Image: Leicester Mercury/BPM MEDIA)

Tesco said it takes its "responsibilities towards the sale of alcohol very seriously" and apologised that it "didn’t get it right in this instance".

Mr Hall said that he was told by the worker of the Dominion Road branch in New Parks that if there was a reasonable reason to believe he may be buying it for his son then they could refuse to sell him the alcohol.

He left the store having been refused the wine.

But the father returned a week later after he claims he couldn't find a policy in relation to what he was told.

He said: "I went back about a week later and asked to speak to the manager.

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(Image: Leicester Mercury/BPM MEDIA)

"But I was told the same thing, and was made to feel belittled and an inch tall.

"They're judging me as a parent that I'm going to be buying my 17 year-old son a bottle of wine."

He claimed he felt like he was treated "like a criminal" by the employees and won't be returning to give the store his custom.

Leicestershire Live contacted Tesco about the incident and for clarification on their policy.

On their website, they claim to have strong systems that ensure they do not sell to underage customers, such as the challenge 25 policy which helps staff to know when to ask for ID and "refuse a sale where appropriate".

(Image: Leicester Mercury/BPM MEDIA)

They said they take their responsibility towards the sale of alcohol extremely seriously and train their colleagues to look out for proxy puchases.

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A spokesperson for the company said: "We take our responsibilities towards the sale of alcohol very seriously and we’re sorry that we didn’t get it right in this instance.

"We’d be happy to welcome the customer back to the store to discuss his concerns."