AN MP is urging shoppers to keep their cool this Christmas.

Durham City MP Roberta Blackman-Woods joined leaders of the Usdaw union to ask shoppers to treat shop workers with respect during the hectic and often-stressful festive season.

The MP said: “Christmas is a time of good cheer but we all know that we can get a bit frazzled doing the Christmas shopping.

“I am very pleased to support Usdaw’s campaign to remind people not to take their frustrations out on shop workers, who work particularly hard at this time of year.

“Working in retail is often stressful and difficult.

“So let’s enjoy shopping at Christmas time and the rest of the year and make sure that shop workers don’t have to face any abuse or violence around the holidays.”

Usdaw wants assaulting people who come into face-to-face contact with members of the public while working to be made a specific criminal offence and Dr Blackman-Woods backed this campaign.