A NEWPORT pensioner said staff at a city mobile phone store made him feel "humiliated and embarrassed" after making him sign his name 15 times to buy a phone.

George Thomas, 82, of Malpas Road, said staff at Phones 4 U in Newport's Commercial Street, would not accept his three signatures on a direct debit form as they were each slightly different.

Mr Thomas spent almost two hours in the store on Saturday attempting to buy a mobile phone for his grandson Michael Hodge, 37, a salesman. He eventually left the store in anger without making a purchase.

Mr Thomas, a grandfather of three, said: "Checks were made on my signature and I was made to sign a total of 15 times. I was made to feel as if I had been caught out in an attempt to defraud Phones 4 U, when I was going to spend quite a bit of money with them.

"They kept telling me the signature didn't correspond with the others I had done. I have signed my signature for years without any problems. I had all my ID such as my credit card and bus pass but they still wouldn't accept it."

Mr Thomas, who is registered disabled, worked as a sales manager before retiring.

He said: "The staff subjected me to a very embarrassing situation in full view of other customers. It was the most embarrassing and humiliating ordeal of my life."

A spokeswoman for Phones 4 U offered to send a letter of apology to Mr Thomas.

She said: "We apologise that the customer has felt embarrassed by the procedure. Three identical signatures are needed on the form. If they are not identical the form could get sent back. It is a strict procedure but it needs to be for security reasons."