Chris Foster said he was worried he would be sacked

Sally Russell, 89, had travelled from Devon with her son Tony when they stopped at Machynlleth in Powys to use the disabled toilet.

But when Mr Russell asked two attendants to help take his mother's electric scooter out of their car he was shocked when they refused.

The council now says it will improve its training for toilet attendants.

The scooter was in the boot of the Russells' car which was parked 50 yards away.

Leaving our place of duty is a sackable offence but even if we had helped him what would have happened if we had damaged his car? Chris Foster, toilet attendant

"My mother is totally disabled and I have to find someone to help me get her electric scooter out of the car because I had heart surgery three years ago," said Mr Russell.

"You can picture my annoyance when two strapping lads in the toilet office said they were not allowed to help me get the scooter out of the car.

Sackable offence

"I was disappointed with their attitude because everyone else in Wales was so kind to me," added Mrs Russell.

"It really was a bit of a shaker to experience this attitude."

Toilet attendant Chris Foster claimed he could have lost his job if he had left his post to help the Russells.

"Leaving our place of duty is a sackable offence but even if we had helped him what would have happened if we had damaged his car?," he said.

The public toilet were 50 yards from where the car was parked

"We might have been liable for damaging his car and we weren't willing to lose our jobs."

Mr Russell was so upset by the lack of help they had received that he complained to Machynlleth Town Council which then contacted Powys Council, which runs the toilets.

The council's shire manager Richard Hobbs has now written to Mr Russell on the council's behalf apologising for the lack of assistance offered to the pair.

Mr Hobbs said he understood the attendants' reluctance given the possibility of a claim against the authority if the scooter or Mr Russells' vehicle had been damaged.

However, he said he was "disappointed" that the attendants had "did not put aside apprehension and offer assistance".

"I am also saddened by their attitude towards a disabled person."

The council will now arrange for the attendants to attend appropriate training courses.