POPPY HEROES BANNED BY HEALTH & SAFETY GOONS

Shop mall evicts vets

A SHOPPING centre booted out two British Army veterans selling poppies – over “public safety” concerns.

The pair were left disgusted ahead of the centenary of the end of World War One on Sunday.

A SHOPPING centre booted out two veterans selling poppies over “public safety” concerns.

John Paul Gaughan and Vic Emery were told they did not have permission to be raising money.

But the pair continued to sell poppies near the main entrance at intu Uxbridge in west London.

John, 57, said: “I am disgusted. I just could not get my head around it.

“I wouldn’t go back to intu, I won’t even shop there.”

He added: “The manager told us it was policy, but the basic principle of health and safety as far as I’m concerned is a commonsense approach. That was not used here.”

The former Army engineer revealed they were later invited back in, but refused. He said: “I don’t appreciate them coming back an hour later to change their mind without even saying sorry.”

Vic, who was in the Royal Pioneer Corps for 22 years, said the centre’s behaviour was “shameful”.

The 57-year-old said: “I’m a health and safety officer myself and I thought it was very weird.”

A spokesman for intu insisted they “support and value the role of the Poppy Appeal”.

He added: “While the volunteers hadn’t notified us of their collection, which we kindly require all of our charity and volunteer organisations to do, we did have conversations to allow them to remain in the centre, but they declined to do so.”

Manager Laurie Taylor added: “For all we knew, these could have been rogue sellers.”

The Star Says: Page 6