CHIPPER the squirrel is being driven nuts by Didcot shopping centre security guards who won’t let him hand out leaflets, claiming they pose a health and safety risk.

Businessman Mike Foster, who recently opened the Treehouse play centre, off Broadway, with the cuddly mascot, said the Orchard Centre should drop the “un-fur” ban to help support other businesses.

Mr Foster, who is president of Didcot Chamber of Commerce, and Chipper have been told to leave the centre twice by guards.

The centre said the leaflets created too much litter and were a “slip hazard”.

The row was sparked after Mr Foster and Chipper were told to leave the centre when security staff spotted them leafleting.

On a second occasion, the pair were asked to leave — even though no leaflets were being handed out.

Mr Foster said: “Chipper is not allowed in, but they made an exception for Pudsey Bear when it was Children in Need.”

The 40-year-old play centre owner was told about the ban at a meeting with shopping centre manager Steve Murray.

Mr Foster said: “There is a lot of footfall through the shopping centre and I thought it would be a good way to promote the business.

“He said he felt there was a health and safety risk to shoppers who might drop the leaflets if they did not want them, and other shoppers could then slip on the leaflets.”

Orchard Centre manager Mr Murray said: “People do often drop the leaflets which could become a slip hazard so, for health and safety reasons, we do not allow the distribution of leaflets in the shopping centre.

“We want to ensure that shopping is a positive experience for all our customers and we ask that anyone wanting to use the Orchard Centre for commercial purposes asks permission first.”

Mr Foster said Chipper’s first brush with security came a week after the centre opened when colleague Dave Roberts donned the suit.

He added: “I think Steve is exaggerating the risk and would like him to lift the ban because we could increase our trade if we were able to promote ourselves in the Orchard Centre.

“The Treehouse Centre runs shop-and-drop sessions so that parents can drop their kids off with us while they go shopping in the Orchard Centre, so we are bringing extra shoppers in for them.

“As president of the chamber of commerce, one of the things I want to do is create closer links between the Orchard Centre and the smaller businesses in the town.

“I do think there could be a closer working relationship between the two parties because they could help each other.”

Mr Murray added: “We do not allow the distribution of leaflets to avoid litter within the centre and this is similar in centres across the UK.

“We would be more than happy to meet and discuss opportunities available at the Orchard Centre to promote his business in any other way.”

Last month, the Herald reported how the centre had charged the Royal British Legion £60 in 2009 to have a display by the Military Vehicle Trust.

It meant the legion did not invite the trust to the centre for this year’s Poppy Appeal.

The shopping centre said it was reviewing its policy.