A DIY chain has been criticised by the advertising watchdog for failing to have enough stock available during a special promotion.

Focus sent out a circular advertising its "Four Day Bank Holiday Sale" at the end of August which included a Black & Decker Scorpion Saw reduced from £49.99 to £39.99.

But customers keen to buy the product would have been disappointed if they had visited the company's branch in Sackville Road, Hove.

Focus admitted there was only one of the saws in stock at the branch during the promotion and it was sold on the first day.

One customer from Brighton who tried to buy a saw during the promotion complained to the Advertising Standards Authority.

The watchdog upheld her complaint and told Focus to make a "reasonable estimate of likely consumer response" during future promotions.

Focus said it always tried to ensure promotional stock was available but "unexpectedly high demand, inaccurate stock files and delayed deliveries" sometimes prevented this from happening.

The company said it usually honoured the promotional price of a product once it became available.

Focus told the ASA that records had indicated more than one saw was available at its Hove store but that the others had either been lost or stolen.

They added that the customer who complained had since purchased the Black & Decker saw for £39.99.