SUPERMARKET staff in Wellington are being intimidated by unruly youngsters roaming the town.

Anti-social behaviour is becoming a real problem – according to Cllr Andrew Govier – and he saw it first-hand recently and believes action has to be taken.

“There is a small group of young people going round the town and causing distress and problems to shops and shopkeepers,” he told members of Wellington Town Council on Monday.

He said staff at the Waitrose and Co-op stores had been intimidated by youngsters and that it was becoming a ‘real issue’.

Cllr Govier said that during the recent bad weather staff had had snowballs thrown at them and even he himself had been targeted.

“Being hit by a snowball doesn’t sound very much but it is all part of the intimidation being felt by staff,” he said. “I have spoken to the managers in Co-op and Waitrose and they have told me about the staff being abused.

“I am sure the police know the young people involved – it is only a small group of causing the problems.”

He said that not only was the intimidation distressing for the staff but it was probably also putting customers off from visiting the stores.

Councillors were also told that there had been occasions when foolhardy youngsters had jumped on the back of moving lorries at Waitrose.

For the full story see this week’s Wellington Weekly News.