LIT FIREWORKS were thrown at a supermarket worker as she left for the night.

The incident was raised by Tina Burke from Asda at the North Area community meeting on Monday.

She told the meeting, which was attended by councillors and a police sergeant, that it happened last Friday evening as a young supermarket worker left the Old Mill Lane store to go home.

“We had to report an incident on Friday night after a colleague had a banger (firework) thrown at her coming out of work,” said Tina, who is a community champion for the store.

“It was caught on camera and how she has not been injured I don’t know.

“The young woman was coming out of the side door at 8pm and has run into a car trying to get away as the second one was thrown.

“The police know about it. It was quite scary for us.

“The young woman was on her own and they have done what they have done.

“It’s quite alarming.”

Sgt Brad Wynne, from the Royston Neighbourhood Team, said the majority of issues that happen in and around the Asda store are on Friday nights. He said staff were carrying out patrols on the evening of the attack, with the exception of between 7-8pm when it happened.

He added: “They go into the woods up towards Honeywell and we can catch a few but we would need a small army.

“We are making progress.

“McDonald’s is helping and had finally got their banning letters together (issued to people causing antisocial behaviour problems).”

Tina said the problem Asda faces is it doesn’t come under the public space protection order area, which gives officers powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.

“When people are moved out of the town centre they come here or to McDonald’s.”

Sgt Wynne told her that alongside his own officers, the town centre team officers do visit the area from time to time, which doubles the cover.

“We do appreciate displacement is causing issues,” he added.

Coun Phil Lofts, of the Old Town ward, said he’s previously asked if the PSPO area could be extended to include Asda but was told it wouldn’t be possible because it is a private company with its own security.

Sgt Wynne said that was not the case and that an extension of the area covered would require Barnsley Council cabinet approval.

Coun Jenny Platts, who is a cabinet member, said: “It’s a town centre public space protection order. How far out of the town centre area do you go?”

Senior councillor Roy Miller, who also sits on the ruling cabinet, said problem areas were being looked at, such as Doncaster Road, which don’t come under the order area.

He said: “One of the problems we have in cabinet is how far do you push it out? One of the things we are looking at is the areas people are being pushed out to.”