Frustrated staff at a Braintree store were forced to open four hours late after vandals damaged a door lock.

When manager Rebecca Thompson turned up at the Co-op Welcome store, in Panfield Lane, her staff were unable to get in and open up as usual.

She said: "We were all here at 6am as we are every day but couldn't get in. We called out a locksmith and he had to drill it out. We got back in just after 10am."

But the hiccup did not stop the shop from continuing to trade yesterday.

Published Wednesday June 9, 2004

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