A PUB boss aplogised last night after a cancer sufferer was humiliated by a doorman.

Denise Laybourne, 43, wears a baseball cap after losing her hair through chemotherapy.

She was horrified when the doorman dragged her out of a queue and ordered her to remove her hat.

When she tried to explain, the doorman at Flares 1970s bar, in Newcastle's Bigg Market, said: "It's not my fault you have got cancer."

Care worker Ms Laybourne said: "I felt humiliated and angry. How can anyone be so insensitive?

"When I tried to explain why I was wearing the hat his reaction was disgusting.

"I just buried my head and went inside without my cap. I was in tears."

Before being diagnosed with breast cancer in September last year, Ms Laybourne had long blonde hair.

She tried wearing a wig, but hot flush side-effects of the cancer drug Tamoxsin meant she had to discard it and wear a cap, instead.

Ms Laybourne said: "I had just plucked up the courage to go out again."

Pub owner Six Continents said the doorman had been disciplined.

A spokeswoman said: "In some of our outlets we do have a policy about not wearing baseball caps for security reasons.

"But, if there is a genuine medical reason we obviously allow concessions.

"There was a misunderstanding and we have apologised."