A girl of 12 was refused a plane ticket because she had Down's syndrome.

Heather Saunders phoned British Airways to book a flight for her daughter Alice from Gatwick to Glasgow.

But she was left “shocked and furious” when a worker told her the company's policy was not to accept passengers with Down's travelling by themselves.

Mrs Saunders, 49, said: “Alice is very independent and perfectly capable of going on her own.

“I would not be letting her do it if I didn't think she would be okay.

“When I asked why there was such a policy, the agent said it was because they had had problems in the past.

“I asked what would happen if I had not told them Alice had Down's and they said she would have been turned away at the airport.

“It is appalling. We have never faced that type of discrimination.”

Alice goes to mainstream school and walks there and back by herself.

She can read as well as an average 12-year-old and regularly goes away with Guide and church groups.

Mrs Saunders, of Arundel Road, Angmering, near Littlehampton, has three older children, Becky, 22, Kate, 20 and Jack, 16.

She said: “We have always expected that Alice would do what her siblings have done but with a bit of extra support.

“They all flew out by themselves to see my sister in Scotland when they reached 12 and Alice wants to do the same.

“We have now booked a different flight with Flybe instead and she is looking forward to it.”

A BA spokeswoman said the firm would be giving all its customer service staff extra training on the issue.

She said: “We apologise unreservedly for the upset caused to Mrs Saunders and her daughter.

“Our customer service agent made a mistake and we will ensure the matter is addressed. “We will be happy to accept Mrs Saunders' daughter as an unaccompanied minor.

“We have offered Mrs Saunders two return flight tickets in recognition of the distress caused.”