Ref. 25881-10A MUM says staff at a children's playcentre refused her a glass of water for her three-year-old daughter after she had spent about £20 on entry fees and soft drinks.

Childminder Dawn Hurley, 37, from Wroughton, was with toddler Harriet, her other daughter Lily, seven, and two of the children she looks after, when they visited the Jolly Roger Adventure in Greenbridge.

She says she paid £2.99 entrance fees for each child, and bought three of them soft drinks, but Harriet does not like soft drinks and prefers tap water.

Now she has accused the centre of being petty, although she acknowledges that it was under no obligation to provide tap water.

The management says tap water is freely available in its washrooms and that the centre offers good value for a low entrance fee.

Mrs Hurley, who is married to BT worker Andy, 39, said: "When I went to the counter and asked for a baby cup of water, they refused.

"They said the only thing they could do was offer mineral water which I would have had to pay for.

"The person behind the counter said their water was metered and that they had to pay for it.

"I just felt it was outrageous and petty I wasn't trying to get out of paying for drinks, I had been paying for drinks all afternoon.

"I could have paid for a bottle of mineral water, but Harriet wanted tap water and would not have drunk an entire bottle."

Centre manager John Bolton said: "Tap water is available in the washrooms, and there was nothing to stop her from getting some.

"The drinks we sell start at low prices and we also use sugar free products because we bear in mind that we serve children."