A former mayor has been banned from Age UK’s Wisbech charity shop after an incident involving a volunteer member of staff.

Councillor Carol Cox, the Conservative deputy chairman of Fenland District Council, has been told that she is no longer welcome at the Market Place shop following the incident.

Volunteer Alison Vanhinsbergh said an incident happened in the shop which other customers reported to her. She finished serving and then left the shop to follow Cllr Cox to ask her about what had happened.

Mrs Vanhinsbergh said that Cllr Cox had been a regular shopper but she would no longer be welcome. Following a conversation Mrs Vanhinsbergh told the councillor not to return to the shop.

Cllr Cox has been a town councillor for 15 years and is a former mayor of Wisbech.

Until retiring she worked in mental health support.

She has been a Fenland District councillor for 11 years representing the Clarkson Ward.

Cllr Cox said: “It was a gross misunderstanding. I wasn’t very happy at all. I don’t want to discuss it because I thought the lady was totally out of order. The facts are not valid.”

Hugh Forde, managing director of Age UK Retail, said: “Age UK Retail can confirm that an incident was recently identified at the Wisbech shop in Cambridgeshire. The matter is now being investigated and therefore we cannot comment any further.”