FIVE children claim they were turned away from one of their favourite restaurants because they were told they only served families.

Quadruplets Bradley, Scott, Dean and Danielle Lyones, 10, and their friend Bailey Roper, 10, had walked more than a mile from their house in Radipole to the McDonald’s restaurant in Jubilee Retail Park, Weymouth, only to be turned away.

The disappointed youngsters said they were queuing up in the busy restaurant to get their food when a member of staff came up to them, apologised and said that the restaurant was busy and they were only serving families.

Bradley, 10, said: “We were upset that they turned us away.”

He said he didn’t know if he and his siblings would go back to the restaurant. He said: “I don’t think it’s fair that families get served and we don’t.”

Having been turned away, the youngsters went to nearby KFC for lunch instead.

The children’s dad Jamie Lyones called the restaurant to find out what happened and said the family were offered a free meal but by then the children had eaten and didn’t want to go back to a restaurant that had turned them away.

He said: “I’m pretty angry about it. I can’t believe they walked down there, all excited to get their food, to be told that by a child-orientated restaurant. It’s not like they were misbehaving. It’s discrimination against young people which seems bizarre coming from a restaurant chain that survives on children.”

He said the children liked to go down to the restaurant for a treat. Mr Lyones said: “I don’t think they’re too happy about going back.”

A spokesman for McDonald’s said that the matter was currently under investigation and apologised to the family.

He said: “We are very sorry that a group of customers were turned away from our restaurant on Jubilee Retail Park in Weymouth.

“This should not have happened and was an isolated lapse in our usual high standards of service.

“The restaurant manager is currently investigating the matter further.

“We’d like to take this opportunity to apologise again and confirm that everyone is welcome in our restaurants.”