Little did a Shropshire shop worker realise that fibbing to a customer would lead to him having to apologise in front of millions of people.

But Tom Wright, who fibbed to a female customer that he was a father-of-two, felt so guilty he called Radio 1′s Scott Mills Show to apologise to the nation. Tom, who works at White Stuff clothes shop in High Street, Shrewsbury, said the woman came into the shop with her children.

“She came in and decided to buy some clothes without trying them on, saying she couldn’t because she had her kids with her,” he said.

“I just said don’t worry there’s plenty more of that to come, meaning stressful shopping trips for her children, but she took it that I was saying I felt the same with my kids.”

Tom said by this time he was feeling confused by what was going on but did not know what else to say, so played along.

“She then said I was looking very tired and I said it was because I was organising a first birthday party,” he said.

“But I meant the party the shop was having this weekend, but she took it as meaning for my child, but I don’t have any.”

Tom, who featured on the radio show, which regularly attracts more than five million listeners, on Wednesday, said he then began digging himself further into a hole.

“She then asked how many children I had so I said two and I have no idea why. She really showed an interest in my non-existent children and kept asking me questions about them.

“Ever since I have felt so guilty about it because she was so nice and interested in my non-existent children.

“I know she is not living in Shrewsbury, but she is staying here with her in-laws, so I doubt she will come in again.

“But I just had to apologise to her and say how sorry I am for lying, but in a way I still really hope she doesn’t come in the shop again because that would be quite embarrassing.”

DJ Scott Mills said he could see where Tom was coming from with his fibs.

“I have done the same kind of thing myself and I have no idea why,” he said.

“Sometimes you can just be sat there and people at work will ask if you saw something on TV the night before and I just agree even I haven’t. Then you’ve just got to hope that you laugh and nod in the right places and hope it is something like the X Factor and nothing complicated like The Wire.”

By Andrew Morris