A heavily pregnant woman claims she was told to walk to the nearest cash machine for £5 of petrol after her bank card was not accepted.

Nikki Powell, who was with her two-year-old son, eventually had to leave her car's spare wheel with the garage.

Miss Powell, 22, who is due to give birth any day, says her treatment at the Total petrol station in Old Shoreham Road, Lancing, was unfair.

She put £5 worth of petrol in her car but was told she could not pay using her HSBC Solo card.

She said the cashier told her to leave her car in the forecourt and walk to a cashpoint or leave something valuable as security.

She said: "I didn't realise they didn't take Solo so I said I would drive and get some money out as I had no cash on me.

"The man said I couldn't do that and that I would have to walk. But I had no idea where the cash point was and didn't want to walk as I am pregnant and overdue. I also had my two-year old son with me.

"The cashier then said to leave him the car stereo or the tax disc but the stereo is worth a lot and I didn't want to drive illegally without a tax disc.

"I told him to keep my driver's licence and write my bank details and registration down. I said I would come back.

"But he wouldn't accept that so in the end I had to leave him my spare tyre."

Miss Powell, of Davigdor Road, Hove, returned with the money at 9pm but the garage was shut.

She said: "I went back but I can't afford to keep driving out there to pay them."

Petrol station manager Ram Bala said he had been following police guidelines.

He said: "The lady did not offer any identification. My staff would not tell a pregnant lady to walk to a cashpoint.

"We are told by Sussex Police that the petrol is legally ours. We can ask the person to park the car, drain the petrol back or leave something valuable.

"We don't ask for names and addresses because we are told we cannot go round to houses to collect the money."

A Sussex Police spokesman said the force recommended the retailer obtained full details of the vehicle and the driver from any documentation that is offered.

He said: "Items should not be confiscated from the member of the public. The retailer is advised, if possible, to obtain a still photograph from their CCTV systems if required at a later stage."