A CHEMIST has apologised to a woman suffering from chronic lung disease after she was refused oxygen to regulate her breathing.

Salim Mulla, head dispenser for Geloo Brothers Ltd pharmacies, today offered to speak personally to 49-year-old Joyce Yeoman, who relies on a nebuliser and oxygen tank to help her breathe.

Mrs Yeoman, of Springfield Road, Darwen, went into the Geloo Brothers chemist, in Union Street, on Friday with a prescription for two small oxygen cylinders.

If she needs to go out shopping she has to take a small portable oxygen cylinder with her on her motorised scooter and she had only half an hour's worth of oxygen remaining in her cylinder.

But she was told by the temporary pharmacist, who was covering the Christmas and New Year period, that he could not let her have the cylinders because she was not a regular customer.

Mr Mulla said: "All I can say we are very sorry this has happened. We do have a policy that people have to be registered to receive the cylinders because they are given out under the assurance that once they are empty, they have to be brought back to us. Otherwise, we are left to pay for them.

"The locum pharmacist has obviously not explained things properly.

"Our patient register is full at the moment and we can't take anyone else on but I would normally explain this to the customer and give them details of other chemists which they can try instead so they are not left without.

"I am happy for Mrs Yeoman to ring me and I will explain everything to her."

Mrs Yeoman said: "I've never had any problem getting them before as long as the chemist I go to has them in stock. I went to Boots but they didn't have any this time so I went to Geloo Brothers instead.

"My 19-year-old daughter went in with my prescription which can be used at any chemist and she was told they couldn't give her the cylinders because she wasn't a regular customer. It's ridiculous.

"I went in myself and had my oxygen with me but the man told me he could not serve me.

"I couldn't believe it. I can go away on holiday anywhere in this country and take my prescription into any chemist for the cylinders.

"I did start to panic when I realised I couldn't get them because I can't go out without them. They are a lifeline. If I start getting breathless I have to have oxygen straight away.

"We had to drive around Blackburn until I finally found a chemist in Preston New Road which had them in stock."