Colleagues at Morrisons in Hadleigh club together to support elderly customer left in tears over lack of items on shelves

After discovering an elderly customer distressed over the lack of items on shelves at a supermarket, a woman from Sudbury was determined to ease the burden.

While working as a security guard at Morrisons in Hadleigh, Chelsea Brammah came across an elderly woman who had gone shopping for her weekly essentials.

Having found key items sold out due to panic-buying during the coronavirus outbreak, the customer, who shops regularly at the store in Boswell Lane, was left upset.

With her husband recently out of hospital after having an operation, the inconvenience had become too overwhelming.

“She just burst into tears,” said Miss Brammah, who often speaks to the customer when she visits the store.

With people continuing to stockpile across the country, the elderly woman had been finding it increasingly difficult to purchase what she needed from the supermarket.

“The items of food that she had been able to buy, she had given to her husband,” said Miss Brammah, of Nelson Road.

Keen to help support the woman during the crisis, Miss Brammah clubbed together with a group of colleagues to buy a range of items from the supermarket, with customers also contributing to the kind gesture.

The elderly woman was delighted to receive the items, which were delivered to her home.

“She was speechless,” said Miss Brammah. “She was so pleased that she wouldn’t have to worry about eating.”

Highlighting the importance of people becoming more mindful of the impact of stockpiling, Miss Brammah said: “They don’t think about the elderly or vulnerable who need the food.”

Reflecting on the distress that the situation had caused for the customer, Miss Brammah said it had put things in perspective.

“It was heartbreaking to see,” said the 23-year-old. “I appreciate everything that I have in my life.”