CLAIMS that people wearing poppies were refused entry to Barry's 99p Store have been dismissed.

Haris Rehman, manager at the Holton Road store, said that the claims were merely rumours and that customers and staff has been free to wear poppies in store.

He added that all staff had observed the two-minute silence on Armistice Day, November 11, and had also been selling poppies in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday.

"It was just a rumour," he said.

"I don’t know how it started, but obviously we didn’t stop anyone from coming in if they were wearing poppies.

"It was on Facebook and a few customers deliberately came in to see if we were stopping customers.

"A few people asked me and I told them the truth – that we weren’t stopping people."

Haris, manager of the store for 11 months, added: "We observed the two minute silence at 11am, with everyone standing still and no-one being served.

"All of the staff were wearing poppies and we had a charity box that anyone could put money in too."