Bosses at Boots have apologised to a mum after a female shop assistant smacked her three-year-old daughter on the bottom.
Angela Cropley, 38, watched in disbelief when a staff member whacked the toddler and told her off for knocking a bottle of Dettol off a shelf.
The mum-of-two had been talking to another member of staff when her daughter Lora became restless and started to play with a store display.
As Angela bent down to pick the items up off the floor another woman smacked her daughter and told her she was 'being naughty'.
The horrified mum, who was also with her eight-month-old son, stormed out the store but returned the next day to confront the staff member.
But Angela said she was stunned when she went to complain at the Market Hall branch in Spalding, Lincs., and was told by the manager: "It was only a tap."
Angela said the toddler had been playing with the shop display on February 13 when the assistant - aged in her 50s and named Michelle - lashed out after the bottle fell from the shelf and broke.
Angela added: "Lora was playing around but had a tantrum and knocked this bottle off the shelf.
"The next thing I know the woman who had helping us look for soya milk smacked her and told her she was a naughty girl. She just froze on the spot after she was slapped - it was hard enough to shunt her forward into the display.
"Lora was just being a typical three-year-old girl and it certainly wasn't her place to discipline my child.
"I just walked out, I couldn't believe what had happened. On the way home she said 'Mummy, that woman smacked my bottom' .
"And the more I thought about it the more I knew it wasn't right. So I went back the next day and complained but I was just fobbed off.
"The manager said it was only a tap and he wouldn't be taking any further action. I didn't know what to do after that so I decided to go the police, but they said it couldn't be classed as common assault because it didn't leave a mark.
"The officer told me he would chase the matter up and see whether he could at least get the store to apologise to me.
"Then last week I had a letter through the post – it was signed by the store manager Philip Belcher.
"It said sorry but the only explanation it gave was that the staff member's actions was a gesture of empathy. I couldn't believe it. I found it a bit insulting."
A spokesman for Boots said: "Our customers are of the utmost importance to us and we pride ourselves on providing great customer service.
"As soon as we found out about this incident, we conducted a thorough investigation and reported it through the correct procedures.
"We have reminded our colleagues of the high level of customer service that we have become well known for. We would like to apologise for any distress caused to Angela Cropley and her daughter."
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