Campaigners in Looe are celebrating after sacked supermarket worker Marion Howarth was reinstated following an appeal to her employers. Marion, from Widegates, has been a familiar face at the Somerfield store in Looe's Fore Street for the past 32 years – but earlier this year she was given notice after refusing to change the hours she has always worked. The different hours would have made it almost impossible for her to get to and from work by public transport. Friends and regular customers protested outside the store and even sent a petition signed by hundreds of local people to Somerfield chairman John Lovering telling him he was about to lose an 'utterly dedicated, reliable, trustworthy, and above all extremely courteous, friendly and helpful' employee, and asking him to intervene. Last month Marion was told she could appeal to Somerfield against the decision to dismiss her and, having gone through the procedure, she has now been reinstated. Anne Allen from East Looe co- ordinated the campaign and she said she was elated at the 'great news' this week that Marion's appeal against her dismissal had been successful and that she is now back behind her counter at the store.
