A Yoxall woman who suffers from Crohn's disease has told of her experience after a shop worker allegedly 'refused' to let her use a toilet when she was desperate.

Vicky Prime was diagnosed with the bowel condition in 2013 which often leaves her needing the toilet urgently.

She was out in Birmingham when she claims a worker in clothing store Zara said they did not have a toilet that she could use when she was caught short. It meant she had to dash to the nearest toilets - only just making it in time.

Since her experience bosses at Zara have apologised and have said they has contacted the Crohn's Society for advise, which they have talked through with staff to raise awareness of the condition.

Vicky Prime
Vicky Prime

Vicky used to have a stoma bag fitted, a pouch that allows faeces or urine to be collected, but that was removed last year. Her small bowel and colon have since been reconnected, but it isn't all working properly yet - sometimes leaves her needing the toilet quickly.

Crohn's disease is a lifelong condition which sees parts of the digestive system become inflamed. This means Vicky suffers shooting pains and the need to pass stools urgently.

But when she explained her situation and asked to use the toilet at Zara at the Bullring shopping centre, in Birmingham, she was reportedly refused and had to run to find another toilet, panicking that she was going to have an accident on the way.

The 32-year-old said: "I felt a shooting pain and tried to carry on but then I started to sweat as I knew what was coming.

"I have been in situations before when I've not made it in time.

"So I went up to the shop assistant and said I'm really struggling here, I've got Crohn's and I desperately need to use the toilet.

"Normally, it's not a problem and a shop assistant will take me to a staff toilet and wait with me until I come out."

Vicky said the Zara store assistant said they didn't have a toilet Vicky could use and that the nearest was in the shopping centre, which is not far from the store.

When Vicky pushed to use the staff toilet, she was told "it was not for her'.

Vicky, who works in the Birmingham City University marketing department, said: "I realise that not everyone understands Crohn's but I think she could see that I looked urgent.

"Instead I had to ring my boyfriend, who had gone into Zara Men, and ask him to help me.

"I dumped the clothes I had chosen and ran across Bullring with a horrible sinking sensation and made it just in time.

"I just want to raise awareness to see if people could offer kindness to see if they can help."

Vicky bravely took to social media to share her plight.

She posted: "Disgusted CrohnsColitisUK - just had a desperate need for the loo @ZARA in the @Bullring and explained and was still told I couldn't use their staff toilets (even though about to collapse in pain needing to go!) had to walk somewhere else v. Quickly before I had an accident!"

She later continued: "Remind @CrohnsColitisUK people not to forget your 'urgent' cards because people seem to have lost their human side in favour for the 'rules'."

A spokesman for Zara said: "We endeavour to provide all our customers with great service so we have contacted the customer directly and apologised for her experience.

"As soon as this situation was brought to our attention we also got in touch with the charity Crohn's and Colitis UK to support us in reinforcing training to further raise awareness."

Zara at Bullring
Zara at Bullring

A spokesman for Zara also called Vicky to talk through the situation.

Vicky said: "Someone from Zara called and apologised.

"She said they had investigated and reviewed in store with the team and manager.

"Originally, they said it was a miscommunication and I had to laugh a bit because I'd made it very clear I had to use the toilet.

"She said the staff member should have made it clear it was probably easier to reach the shopping centre toilet than the staff toilet as it is three floors down.

"But I explained I would rather be having an accident behind closed doors than in the middle of a shopping centre on my own.

"She said they were sorry the member of staff wasn't sympathetic and that they would be giving further training to their staff.

"She added that they'd had some leaflets sent to them from Crohn's and Colitis UK which they would be using for in-store training too."

What is Crohn's Disease?

Crohn's Disease is a chronic ongoing and life-long conditions in which symptoms vary from person to person and will range from mild to severe.

The main symptoms are:

  • diarrhoea
  • stomach aches and cramps
  • blood in your poo
  • tiredness (fatigue)
  • weight loss