A Canterbury cafe customer has been banned by the owners after complaining that a new mum had "ruined her lunch" because she was using a breast pump.

The criticism was levelled at a member of staff at the Veg-Box in Burgate who was discreetly expressing milk in the corner of the cafe.

But the complaint prompted an angry response from co-owner Liz Childs who said: "Everyone should feel comfortable breastfeeding, and in any form this takes, everywhere."

“The member of staff had just returned from maternity leave and was pumping in the corner. It was very discreet, she was covered and no one could see anything.

"But the customer complained it had ruined her lunch and walked out.

"She came back the following day when I told her that we would not tolerate our staff being humiliated like that and asked her not to return. I think she probably realises she made a mistake now.

Liz, who runs the vegan and vegetarian cafe with husband Adam, highlighted the issue in a post on the cafe's Facebook page.

A woman's right to breastfeed in public is protected under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, making it illegal to try and stop it.

The Equality Act 2010 further states that ‘a business must not discriminate against a woman who is breastfeeding a child of any age in a public place’.