Mum-of-two Janine Deeley was left gobsmacked after going to Lloyds pharmacy in Duke Street, Park, Sheffield, to pick up her routine prescription and being turned away by the female chemist.

The 38-year-old was taken by the woman into a private room and told she was not willing to dispense the tablets on religious grounds.

Janine was told she could go to another chemist, or come back the next day when a different pharmacist would be on duty.

Furious Janine, from Wybourn, told The Star today: "She said she'd got my medications, but that she wasn't going to give me the contraceptives.

"I asked her, 'Why not?' and she said it was because it was against her religion.

"She said I could either go to the other pharmacy around the corner or come back the next day. She refused point blank to give it to me.

"I just couldn't believe it. The best bit of it is I've been prescribed the Pill not for contraception but because I've got endometriosis - but that's not the point. I shouldn't have to explain myself to her.

"I was so angry I didn't really know what to do. I think it's absolutely disgusting."

Janine - mum to daughters Carlie, aged 18, and 14-year-old Lauren - said she feared teenagers and young women could be denied the chance to protect themselves against unplanned pregnancies.

"My daughter is 18 - she might want to go on the Pill and she has got that right. I'd rather have that than an unwanted pregnancy.

"There's a lot of things in society you might not like or agree with, but you can't do anything about them."

She added: "This type of thing shouldn't be happening, it's not right."

A spokeswoman for Lloyds pharmacy said an investigation had been launched.

"We are very sorry Ms Deeley was refused supply of her prescribed contraceptive Pill at our Duke Street pharmacy," she said.

"We have launched an investigation into the incident and been in contact with her to apologise for any distress and inconvenience caused.

"We have since dispensed Ms Deeley's prescription at our Duke Street pharmacy."

A spokeswoman from NHS Sheffield, the Primary Care Trust responsible for how well pharmacies and other health bodies across the city perform, added: "We take patient concerns very seriously.

"While we have not yet received a complaint from Ms Deeley we would be happy to investigate the matter on her behalf if she gets in touch through our normal complaints system."

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