A group of deaf women booted from a Wetherspoon pub say they were "utterly humiliated" by the ordeal.

The friends says they were waiting for an hour and a half for a table in a Wirral, Merseyside boozer before complaining about the delay.

But in a "disgraceful" clash with the Master Mariner manager, Anita, from Bebington claims they were told to "get off this property now", last Friday.

The embarrassed group, unable to lip read with staff wearing face masks, accused the pub of discriminating against them for being deaf – something Wetherspoon refutes.

Anita, 46 told the ECHO : "I was just so upset. We ended up waiting an hour and a half for our table. It was absolutely disgraceful the way they treated us."

Anita said: "Christina asked do we need to put our names down for a table and was told 'no just wait till one is empty'. We saw other people waiting, there was no queue."

Anita said they waited over 25 minutes and saw people coming and getting tables before them, confused she approached a member of staff.

She said: "I then approached her saying 'we've been waiting 25 minutes and you knew we were next, you told my friend we needed to get back in the queue'.

"She responded wearing a mask. I said 'I am deaf like the other two girls, I can't lipread you.' She pulled mask down with a bad attitude and said 'you were told to stand on the right in the queue'."

But Anita claims this was not communicated properly and when she told the staff member she says they were told to leave.

She said: "She got very aggressive saying loudly, 'you calling me a liar?'

"I said 'well you didn't tell them that, this isn't right, this is deaf discrimination, you knew we were deaf as we were signing to each other, we've been here 30 mins now'.

"She got right in my face and very angry, shouted 'get off this property now'.

"I was totally and utterly humiliated! I got upset. I was in tears, as I felt humiliated. We strongly felt we were discriminated."

JD Wetherspoon refutes claims of discrimination and Anita said the manager did come out and a table was eventually sorted, but only after an hour and a half wait and further confusion. They were also given a discount of £4 each on their food orders.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "Firstly we apologise for the ladies in question for any distress caused.

"We appreciate that they were upset by the incident.

"We totally refute any claims that they were discriminated against.

"There was a miscommunication with the staff member and the staff member understood that the ladies wanted a table in the sun and at the time only tables in the shade were available.

"This led to a long wait for a table for them.

"The manager did speak with them and gave them a discount on their food."

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