Sainsbury's customers have accused the grocer of misleading them over a £50 Dyson deal - alleging that staff were given priority access to the discounted item before stores opened.

Shoppers said they were left disappointed on Wednesday after heading into branches in the early hours in search of the reduced item - only to be turned away by workers who claimed it was either 'fake' or sold out'.

It came after Sainsbury's told Mirror Money the discount was on a first come, first served basis, at selected stores only - with the grocer unable to state exactly which branches were participating due to the small volume of them in stock.

"I went to the Sandhurst store this morning to find that there were no Dyson hoovers on site," one reader told The Mirror.

"This was by a member of staff that told me and another lady they had sold out over six months ago.

"I then found out that staff had put aside Dyson hoovers for friends.

It was carnage in stores yesterday after the deal coincided with a 50% off toys event (
Image:
Plymouth Herald)

"When leaving the store I saw and spoke to a lady that was in fact buying a Dyson hoover and confirmed that it was put aside for her plus she received the discount before 8am."

Elsewhere, customers are not happy online - with others also claiming the deal was misold.

On twitter, one user Steve, said: "@sainsburys Head office confirmed that #sainsburys #harrogate had more than several #Dyson - but on door opening... shoppers were told they didn't receive any. Staff have priority it seems!"

"Went to #sainsburys at #tollgate for a Dyson hoover bargain, got there for 6am was told the Hoover's were in but won't be out till lunch as the staff want in on them first, another member of staff said he shouldn't of been able to say that but still no hoover," another angry customer said.

However, Sainsbury's has denied the allegations.

Following an internal investigation, a Sainsbury’s spokesman told Mirror Money: "We can reassure customers that all available stock was made available to them."