A SPORTS retailer has stopped teenagers from shopping unless they have a parent or guardian to keep an eye on them.

Decathlon, which has 47 branches in the UK, said under 18s must be accompanied by “a parent or legal guardian” in its Sussex shops.

The new rule would mean Albion striker Evan Ferguson, 17, would be turned away at the door of Brighton’s Decathlon should he try and pop in to pick up a football.

The Argus: The notice on the door of Decathlon, BrightonThe notice on the door of Decathlon, Brighton

The retailer has a site in North Street, Brighton, and another in Crawley, both of which have implemented the measures.

But The Argus understands people under 18 should still be able to shop alone in Decathlon if they are after a specific item.

Those who are just browsing will need to be joined by a parent or legal guardian – with staff asking their intentions on entry.

A spokesman for Decathlon said: "Whilst we can't share specific details for each store, some stores have implemented temporary measures following some incidents of anti-social behaviour.

"Stores will not be verifying that adults are the parent or legal guardian, we simply request that children be accompanied by an adult whilst we review the store policy on a national level.

"Any decision made by local store leaders is to ensure the safety of our teammates and customers alike."

The Argus: Decathlon in North Street, BrightonDecathlon in North Street, Brighton

The same strategy has been adopted in Glasgow’s Decathlon.

Mother-of-four Vonnie Sandlan regularly shops at the Glasgow store and was shocked to see the notice.

She told the Glasgow Times: “I honestly couldn’t believe it when I saw it.

“They’d gone to the effort of printing a company-branded sign, so this isn’t a rogue employee - this is a demonstration of the company’s beliefs and values.

“It is disappointing to see a large retailer like Decathlon making this choice to discriminate against children and young people.

“The ‘children should be seen and not heard’ mantra ought to be a historical artefact.

“This has certainly made me reconsider whether Decathlon is a business that I want to spend my money with.”

Decathlon sites in busy city locations, such as Brighton North Street, have in-store security.