Ban for tot who slammed shop door so hard ceiling fell down

Two-year-old Cain Eidson was with his mother and four-year-old brother Dieter in the Halifax store, when Cain banged the door.

The family had noticed a hole in the ceiling when they first walked in to the Shop Smarter store in Backhold Lane, Siddal.

As mother Marie Eidson paid her bill, Cain was playing with the door. Staff say he slammed it three times and on the fourth time part of the ceiling came down.

Miss Eidson, 41, who lives nearby on Backhold Drive, said she apologised as the family left.

She added: "I went in again and the girl behind the counter said 'You're barred'. I laughed at her and she said: 'Your children are barred because they pulled the ceiling down'.''

''I told her it hadn't fallen down when we were in the shop or we'd have been covered in all kinds of dust and debris.

"I said if you can't close the door without the ceiling falling down, something is wrong.

She says she has decided not to use the shop since.

She said: "I think it's crazy barring a two-year-old for their ceiling problem. I thought she was joking when she told me, I just couldn't believe it.

"If it is so dangerous they shouldn't be having customers in and out. I used to go in that shop almost every day for some milk, newspapers and sweets for the kids since I moved here at the end of February from Hebden Bridge.

'"Cain doesn't know what he is supposed to have done – he is unaware of it.''

Shop manager Nicki Egan said: "The shop assistant said he slammed it three times and on the fourth attempt it fell. I live above the shop and I heard the bang.

"We don't want an accident for them or us. They could have shut it on themselves and trapped their fingers or hurt another customer.''

She said Cain had been banned. "It's customer safety whichever way you look at it.''

A Calderdale Council spokesman confirmed that since the incident occurred environmental health officers had been to the shop to investigate and the inquiry was ongoing.

Longstanding Siddal resident, Rosie Ohana, a telephone sales manager, said she was sorry to hear about the incident but added: "How sad, fortunately Siddal is well-populated with newsagents, there are four altogether so although Mrs Eidson might not wish to visit Shop Smarter there are a few others for her to lend her custom to.''

[email protected]