A bleeding eight-year-old was told by council officials he couldn’t have a plaster because “they’re just for employees.”

Little Darragh McKeown tripped on the pavement outside the Arun Civic Centre in Littlehampton.

But when his father Martin, 46, asked a receptionist for help, she refused.

Mr McKeown, of Granary Way, said: “We pay £1,400 in council tax and they couldn't give us a plaster.”

“If you go to Arun Civic Centre there is a six foot sign saying ‘help point' but they told me to go away and help myself.

“Darragh cut his knee on the pavement outside the council.

“I took him by the hand and said to the lady behind the desk 'do you have a first aid kit?'

“She said yes and pointed to it.

“I asked if we could have a wipe and a plaster and she said 'No. It's just for council employees.'

“I was shocked.”

Mr McKeown who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the Lebanon with the UN, is the divisional officer for St John Ambulance in Littlehampton.

In March he gave first aid to a dying man after seeing him hit by the spare tyre of a lorry while on his way to work as a night porter at the White Swan Hotel in Arundel.

He claimed he was staggered at the council's reluctance to help his son.

He said: “I would stop at any accident and give a hand to anyone.”

“I would never refuse anyone first aid.

“He was bleeding, the blood was running down his leg.

“I needed to clean it to check it didn't get infected.

“He was in pain like any eight-year-old boy would be.”

Mr McKeown said he had now received an apology from Arun District Council.

He added: “The director of services has phoned and apologised,”he said.

“He said the woman should have called a first aider.

“But I'm not really satisfied they've only done that because I complained.”

A spokeswoman for Arun District Council said: “We will try to do better next time.”