A MAN'S job is on the line after bosses placed him under investigation for drinking just a quarter of a can of shandy during working hours.

Exasperated Paul Archer, 46, of Woodbury Close, has spoken of his despair at feeling "unfairly treated" and claims employers Halfords are using it as an excuse to push him out the door.

Paul, who has worked as a fitter at motoring store Halfords for almost three years, was hauled in front of bosses on Thursday and told he was under investigation for drinking the beverage that contains just 0.5 per cent alcohol.

Father of two Paul said: “It’s absolutely ridiculous, I can’t believe they’re making such a fuss about this. When I was told I was being investigated I was absolutely gobsmacked.”

Bosses told Paul that customers had complained about smelling alcohol on his breath.

“That is utterly ridiculous,” said Paul. “There’s no way you can smell alcohol on someone’s breath after drinking just a quarter of a can of shandy. They sell it to kids and I don’t think many people really think of it as an alcoholic drink.”

Paul has suffered from depression and anxiety for most of his life and his wife Carol, 54, is concerned that the prospect of losing his job may be too much for him.

She said: “Paul gets anxious about things and it’s not fair on him, especially as he’s such a good worker. It has come completely out of the blue, we’re both shell shocked. He’s really good at what he does and gets nothing but praise from the customers. It’s not fair what they have done, it’s ridiculous.”

Paul, who works mornings at the Fleming Way store, feels as though the firm is using the incident as an excuse to get rid of him and he complained of a recent incident in which a joke with a customer over the newly-implemented plastic bag charge was taken the wrong way by company bosses.

“I had a bit of friendly banter with a customer about whether or not we know where the money from the plastic bag charge goes and I was told by the manager that I shouldn’t be discussing things like that with customers.”

However, Paul is proud of the customer service he delivers. He said: “I had a lady the other day who said my service was brilliant and she said she’d definitely come back again.”

There was another incident in which he had a joke with a colleague with whom he had had a few issues in the past where he referred to him as "big ears" jokingly. This was another issue that he has been pulled up on as part of the disciplinary process. He claims this is unfair as it was only meant as banter.

He added: “I feel they’ve really let me down and they’re trying to push me out of the door. They have no right to make me I have done something wrong.”

The Swindon Advertiser contacted Halfords for comment on Friday, but they were unable to provide a statement before The Adver went to press on Sunday night.