COSTA Coffee has said it will not serve children under 16 with coffee unless it is decaffeinated, a spokesman for the company has said.

The statement came after a mother from Bingley said her 14-year-old daughter was refused a drink in its cafe in the town on Thursday.

The woman, who did not want to be named said: “My daughter went in after school with her friend and asked for an iced latte. The assistant asked how old she was and when she said 14 she told her she could only have a decaffeinated one.

“She did order one of those but said it was not very nice.

“She has a coffee occasionally as a treat and has had them before in Costa when she has been with me or her dad.

“Costa needs to be clear on its policies.”

A Costa spokesman said: “We do not encourage the sale of caffeine to children under 16 and it is at store discretion to question a customer’s age if they have any concerns. Our advertising is not directed at children and you must be 16 or above to own a Costa Club Card. Caffeine information is available upon request should a customer wish to know the level of caffeine in their coffee.”