A disabled woman's daughter claims a cafe where they had been regular visitors refused to serve them - but the owner is strenuously denying any wrongdoing.

Gill Peter, who cares for her 89-year-old mother Josephine Peter, who has had several strokes and is wheelchair-bound said: "Mum used to go to the Café Plaza in Field End Road all the time but I am now her full-time carer and when we go out it's a big treat. I was therefore shocked when I ordered two coffees and the lady serving us said 'no.'"

The cafe owner claimed it was because last time they were in there, her mother was sick, but Miss Peter, 52, disputes this.

Miss Peter said: "My mother does choke sometimes so I have to put a powder called Thick and Easy in her drinks to help her swallow. On that occasion she choked a bit, but she certainly wasn't sick.

"I said 'Are you refusing to serve me?' then I addressed the whole café telling them 'they refuse to serve disabled people in here.'"

Though they were told they could stay if the thickening was not put in Mrs Peter's drink the pair moved to the Gri Gri café over the road where they were given a warm welcome.

She said: "My mum drank her coffee there without any problems and they were so kind and helpful."

Owner of Cafe Plaza, Jolanta Masternak, said she sympathised, because it cannot be easy looking after a disabled parent, but on two previous occasions the daughter had asked if she could put some powder in her mother's drink without the latter knowing.

She said: "My staff assumed the powder was some medicine which her mother did not like, but the drink helped disguise the taste. On both occasions the drink caused the disabled lady to vomit, which naturally caused her great distress.

"The whole experience was very unpleasant for the lady concerned, my customers and staff."

On the final occasion Mrs Masternak claimed she did not refuse to serve them, but would not put anything into any drink because she feared Mrs Peter becoming seriously ill and the cause turning out to be the unidentified powder.

She insists disabled people are welcome in her cafe and has many witnesses who will verify she acted in a proper and considerate manner.

However, Chris Commerford, chief officer of Age Concern Hillingdon, said: "I really feel for the older person who was looking forward to a day out with her daughter, then met such prejudice and lack of understanding."