A YOUNG woman paralysed from the neck down will not return to a Cowdenbeath shop as its uneven entrance caused her wheelchair to roll into a bollard and crash into a trolley.

Natalie Lowrie was "really frightened" by the incident at the B&M store at North End Retail Park, and her mum, Joyce Lambert, told the Times that they will not return.

Had she not been wearing her seatbelt, her family and support workers fear she would have fallen out of her chair and it "would have been a disaster".

"It was really scary for Natalie," Joyce said.

"The entrance has a big ridge to it, almost like a curb. It has a drop.

"She has an electric wheelchair and it wasn't wanting to go over it on the way out of the shop.

"There was difficulty getting the chair to move and it eventually got over but it ran on and out the door with Natalie.

"She flew right out of the shop and it was awful for her.

"She hit the bollard and knocked over the trolley we had shopping in.

"It was just so frightening for her. She couldn't have done anything to prevent it from happening."

Joyce said that other shoppers standing outside rushed to their aid.

One of Natalie's support workers told the Times that it has been a challenge for the family for several months.

"I've been trying to get help with disabled access at the B&M store in Cowdenbeath and I'm coming to a dead end and looking for help," they said.

"The store is no longer accessible to wheelchairs as the front door is uneven and has been gradually getting worse since the store opened.

"It's unsafe for wheelchairs at this point.

"If Natalie hadn't been wearing her seatbelt, she would have fallen out of her chair and it would have been a disaster.

"It is one of her favourite shops to go to, but she's not going back now.

"There is no accessible ramp to get in, and that drop is so dangerous."

They said the issue had been raised with staff "many times over the last year", with last week's visit the "last straw."

"It feels like it's just a big company that doesn't care about its customers; they don't want to know," they claimed.

A spokesperson for B&M told the Times that they are working on resolving the issue with the building's landlord.

“We’re aware of the situation and we’re working with the building landlord to identify a possible resolution," they stated.

"The safety of our customers and colleagues is paramount to us and is always the highest priority to ensure they have an enjoyable and safe shopping experience when visiting our stores."