RED-faced council chiefs have apologised after a poppy seller was turned away from a city library.

Staff at St John's Library told the poppy seller that he could not raise money ahead of Armistice Day at the site due to a county council policy.

But the conversation was overheard by an outraged library visitor who reported it to the Worcester News.

And council chiefs have now issued an apology, saying the library staff were mistaken and that the sale of poppies is allowed in libraries.

Chris Gallamtree-Smith, who lives in Henwick Park, Worcester, was in the library when the incident occurred on Monday, November 1.

The 62-year-old retired teacher said: "I was fuming.

"I was in the library when a gentleman from a poppy organisation brought in a collection box.

"I heard someone who works there say they are not allowed to sell poppies in the library as it's county council policy."

"I said the county council are only able to deny the sale of poppies because of the men and women who sacrificed their lives."

Mr Gallamtree-Smith was particularly outraged as he comes from a family heavily affected by war.

His pilot cousin died in a plane crash, his father was injured in the Second World War and his grandfather died in the First World War.

Cllr Paul Denham, the mayor of Worcester, said he was shocked to hear about the incident.

"The sale of poppies is so important to most people in Worcester that to refuse to allow a poppy collection is appalling," he said.

"I visited the library and was approached by a gentleman who said the library refused to allow the sale of poppies in the run up to Remembrance Sunday next week.

"He was told a policy was in place saying no charitable sales could take place in libraries."

Worcestershire County Council says it operates a policy of not promoting individual charity campaigns within its libraries.

But it says the sale of poppies is not prohibited and that the staff at St John's Library were wrong to intervene and have been made aware of the council's policies.

Cllr Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member with responsibility for localism and communities, said: "I'd like to apologise for any misunderstanding. They made a mistake by turning the seller away."

She added that officers have received reassurances from the library's senior management that poppy sellers will not be turned away in the future.

Council policy is not promote charity campaigns in its libraries to ensure impartiality to charity partners. However poppies can be sold by individuals for Remembrance Day as long as they do not 'promote or endorse the charity'.

Cllr Hodgson added: "The council fully supports the Poppy Appeal as a mark of remembrance and respect for those who have served and given their lives for their country.

"Poppies are available for staff and visitors to buy at County Hall, and are welcomed at libraries throughout the county.

"We work in many different ways with a large number of charity partners across the county. We value this work highly. In the interests of being fair and impartial to all of our charity partners, we do not promote individual charity campaigns within our libraries."

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said they were not aware of the incident but would look into it.