A 78-year-old woman with terminal cancer has been left devastated after she claims she was “made to feel like a leper” following a dispute at a Bourne End nail salon.

Elspeth Gibson claims she was told she could not return to Lavender and Stone, in Furlong Road, for a treatment, after revealing her illness to the beautician who was manicuring her nails.

However bosses have strongly refuted this, stating they have a “duty of care” to their customers, and company policy states clients with serious illnesses must provide a doctor’s note.

In a viral Facebook post, Mrs Gibson's son, Andrew, slammed the “insensitive” staff for the way they handled the situation after his “heartbroken” mother left the salon in tears.

Mrs Gibson says she has been to the salon a number of times, and had an appointment the day after receiving the “horrifying” news the cancer she had been battling for four years could no longer be treated.

The former oncology nurse said staff had not asked her if she was unwell before the treatment, adding they were unable to find her medical form with details of her health history or provide information relating to the policy.

She said she was made to feel “humiliated” following the ordeal, adding she is yet to receive an apology from the company.

Speaking to the Bucks Free Press, Mrs Gibson said: “I felt absolutely awful. I am trained, I have done Marie Curie, I have done cancer training, I trained at the Westminster Hospital and trained around here.

“I love people to be well and happy in their own homes, I have never in my life said to anyone there’s nothing we can do for you.

“When you go back [to the salon] they should say 'is there anything new we need to know?'

“It made me feel humiliated, rejected, I felt like a leper.”

In a letter seen by the Free Press Mrs Gibson’s doctor confirmed “there is no reason” why she should not have a manicure.

Mr Gibson says he received an influx of support for his mother after his post was shared more than 1,000 times on social media, however added some people need to be more compassionate and understanding towards people with cancer.

He said: “I would like an apology from Lavender and Stone – they said they have tried to contact us but they haven’t. If they admitted they got this dreadfully wrong and apologised then it would be fine, but they haven’t.”

In a Facebook post, Lavender and Stone said it is now investigating “how its policy is communicated”, but insisted staff have a “professional and caring” approach to customers.

The company said that representatives have been in touch with the family, and they will be “more than happy” to treat Mrs Gibson now she has provided a doctor’s note.

A spokesman for Lavender and Stone said:

“We have a duty of care to our clients who have serious illnesses, not just cancer, to provide a doctor’s note, which Mrs Gibson has now done. We would be more than happy for Mrs Gibson to come to the salon for treatment.

“We require a doctor’s note to protect customers with illnesses in case any beauty treatment may affect them, so it is in their interests.

“Our staff are not medically trained to make a decision over whether a beauty treatment is suitable.”