I was forced to wet myself after River Island REFUSED to let me use their loo – staff just put down a ‘wet floor’ sign
A MUM-of-two claims she was forced to wet herself after River Island refused to let her use their loo.
Bianca Artwell, 30, said she felt like a "freak show" during the upsetting incident at her local branch in Rugby, Warwickshire.
She suffers from Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) - a condition that affects her nervous system and how her brain and body send and receive signals.
Her symptoms include weakness or paralysis, tremors or tics, difficulty walking, loss of balance, and incontinence.
Bianca had visited River Island to return a pair of shoes for her three-year-old daughter when she was struck down by her debilitating symptoms.
She asked a cashier at the till if she'd be able to use the facilities.
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But despite explaining her condition and pleading for help, she says workers flatly refused.
They told her to visit a cafe across the road instead.
However, as soon as Bianca tried to leave, her "worst fears" came true and she wet herself in the shop.
And she was left distraught when staff ignored her - instead putting up a sign warning of a wet floor, reports.
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Bianca said: "I tried to at least make it outside but only got maybe a metre and a half away from the tills before my worst fears happened. My bladder let go.
"Stood in a pool of my own urine, I turned to the three staff members on the till and explained I was really sorry but I had had an accident.
"They just stared at me and the manager who was getting ready to leave instructed them to put a wet floor sign down.
"I stood there frozen in complete horror.
"A staff member came up to me but instead of offering to help she just dropped the wet floor sign next to me and walked away."
Bianca said she "stood in shock" as the woman returned to chat with colleagues rather than offer help.
"The manager even walked past me and shouted 'Bye' to her colleagues and just looked at me in my mess," she said.
No offer of tissues, no offer of other clothing or even a 'are you okay?'
Bianca Artwell
"As other customers arrived, walking past me and my wet floor sign, it finally occurred that this was my problem and the staff weren't going to help me in any way.
"No offer of going to a changing room, no offer of tissues, no offer of other clothing or even an 'Are you okay?'."
After phoning for help, two of Bianca's friends came to her aid, helping her out of the store and taking her to another shop to buy clean clothes and personal cleaning products.
Bianca, who works as a beauty therapist, lodged a formal complaint and demanded River Island staff are given better training.
She added: "I've previously worked in retail for years and there are characteristics that are exempt from this such as, elderly, pregnant women, children and those with disabilities.
"Is it policy to further fail a customer after an accident like this by offering no compassion, no dignity or treating them like a human being?
"I've never in my life been treated in such a cold manner. Left in the doorway of a shop with a sign directing people to look at the freak show, with no covering or support."
Bianca says she was offered a new outfit from the shop which she refused to accept.
River Island, which has around 300 stores in the UK, has now apologised to Bianca.
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A spokesman said: "Every one of our customers matters to us and we were sorry to hear of this customer's experience in one of our stores.
"Our head of customer care is already in direct communication with this customer and we are reviewing our policies and procedures to ensure that everyone feels welcome and cared for whenever they visit our stores."
