"Black Friday should never mean a black eye” - that’s the warning Essex Euro MP Alex Mayer sent with the help of a giant Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer cut-out and Grays Tesco shop workers on Friday.

The call comes the week before 'Black Friday’, which falls on the 23 November.

It is a day of special deals and slashed prices and marks the start of the festive shopping period.

Ms Mayer was on hand to spread the message at Lakeside Tesco on Friday.

Worryingly 'Black Friday’, which spread from the US to the UK, has seen shocking scenes in previous years. Jostling British shoppers have gone to extreme lengths to get the best deals, leading to broken bones and arrests.

Many shop workers face violence at work especially in the run up to Christmas, which is the busiest shopping period of the year.

230 shop workers are assaulted daily across Britain with an estimated five assaults in Essex each day. Interim results from the trade union USDAW’s Freedom From Fear Survey also show that during 2018, six out of every ten shop workers experienced verbal abuse at work, whilst 37% reported being threatened by a customer.

Ms Mayer will join shop workers, wearing Santa hats and campaign t-shirts saying “Keep Your Cool”. They will be handing out leaflets and stickers and collecting petitions for the campaign at their special Freedom from Fear Stall in the foyer at the front of the store.

The MEP said: “Too many shoppers get their tinsel in a twist at this busy time of year, but there is absolutely no excuse for violence towards shop workers.

“Shoppers need to keep their cool this winter.

“Abuse isn't part of the job. Black Friday should never mean a black eye.”