A SHOPPER claims she was accidentally imprisoned by Lidl after an early morning mix up with their door system.
Kate Thomas found herself trapped between the outer and inner doors of the supermarket’s store in Bridgend, South Wales.
The 33-year-old popped in at 7.30am on her way to work yesterday (wed) and found the outer door open.
When Kate found the inner door shut and turned around to leave she discovered to her horror that it too was locked.
She spent 25 minutes frantically trying to get the attention of staff before bemused workers finally realised she was there.
Even then, according to Kate, staff completely ignored her. And when the panicked shopper was finally released, at 8am, she claims the manager topped off a terrible morning by laughing at her.
Kate, from Neath, South Wales, even tried to prise the doors apart during her incarceration.
But after finding no emergency button, or other means of escape, she simply had to stand and wait.
In a post on the supermarket’s Facebook page, Kate wrote: “I spent 25 minutes stuck in between the first automatic door and then the second automatic door of the store.
“First door opened no problem at all so in I walked. It then immediately closed behind me and I was stuck there until the store opened. No emergency button!
“I hammered on the glass to try and get someone’s attention but as the store was closed (which I realised by this point) there was no one around. Then at about 7:55am, staff appeared, I continued to knock but was ignored.”
When Kate finally managed to escape her impromptu prison and make it into the store, she claims a manager laughed at her story and didn’t believe her.
Kate added: “I explained what had happened her response was, ‘We don’t open until 8am so you couldn’t have been stuck’.
“Now, WHY would I lie about this? I explained to her again that the first door opened and closed behind me, to which she replied, ‘Oh we have newspapers and deliveries so it has to stay open.’”
She said today: “Now I’m not going to lie – me and my friends and family have had a giggle about it now, but she shouldn’t have laughed.”
Social media users sympathised with Kate’s predicament.
Sara Flay wrote: “Oh my gosh lovely this sounds horrendous. I hope you’re ok now.”
Chantelle Sobey added: “Big hugs. I hope you’re okay.”
Melissa Williams commented: “Omg I suffer with anxiety and I can kind of deal with them, but to be locked in somewhere and you can’t get out would be the worst thing ever. Hope you’re ok.”
Lidl UK commented under the post, writing: “Hi Kate, we’re very sorry to hear of your experience at our Bridgend store. This certainly shouldn’t have happened, and the reaction you describe from our colleagues is not what we would hope for.
“Please be assured that your feedback will be passed on to the Regional team so that this can be investigated, and if you could send over the reference number from your contact with our Customer Services team, we will ask them to get in touch as soon as they can. Apologies for any distress caused.”
A spokesman for Lidl said: “We were very sorry to hear of this matter and can confirm that it is being investigated as a priority.
“Our customer services team are in direct communication with the customer and will inform them of the outcome.”
