A SHOP owner in Leigh admits he fears for his own safety after being sent threatening messages following a row on social media.

Tony has even passed some of the comments onto police, with the threats made to him personally, and about his shop in Broadway, A Touch Too Wild.

He was bombarded with abuse following allegations he was rude to a customer and her disabled son on Tuesday.

A mother claims she was ordered to leave her son in his buggy by the entrance and was rushed out the shop because her son was crying.

Tony has offered an apology and insists the situation has been taken out of context, adding: “I'm worried as I've been bullied non-stop since, but I never intended to offend anyone.”

According to the social media post outlining the claims, the young boy, who is two, suffers with a rare disorder, Wiedemann Steiner Syndrome.

It can cause developmental delay in young children, as well as unusual facial features and reduced muscle tone.

Tony has offered his version of events and insists he was only trying to help the customer and her upset son.

He says he asked the woman to leave her pram by the entrance due to a lack of space on the shop floor.

"When the lady came in, I said 'can you leave the pram by the door please', because of those reasons,” the shop owner of 22 years said.

“As the lady was walking away, the baby was really crying.

“He was very distressed, crying his eyes out and I was concerned, asking is ‘he ok’, and she explained it is part of his syndrome.

“Then I asked 'would having milk help or anything?'.

"I was in a panic, I was stressed because I felt I couldn’t help out, as he was breaking down.”

Tony added he tried to complete a transaction with the mum at the till as quickly as possible to allow her to attend to her upset son.

He said: “Again I am sorry; I would never intend to hurt someone or their child like this, I really mean that.

“If she ever wants to speak to me, I definitely would, I will apologise, and I will explain.”