Worker glad to survive bull-fright in supermarket

THE supermarket worker who faced down the ‘bull in a food shop’ in Co Mayo spoke of her amazement at seeing the animal in the store.

“I was serving a customer at the counter, when I saw something going into the store. I didn’t know what it was, so I went into the store after it,” said Bernie Morrin, a staff member at Cummins’ SuperValu, Ballinrobe.

“I was amazed when I went into the store and saw that it was a bull. I was reared on a farm, but I never expected to meet a bull in this environment.”

Ms Morrin had to rush out of the way as the bull exited the store. “I was glad to get out of the way. He was coming towards me, but I jumped into the side, and watched on as he went down the aisle and out the front door again. It was good to see him gone. It all happened so fast, no-one could really believe it. It lasted about 1½ minutes.”

Shoppers and staff had a miraculous escape as the bull, which had escaped from the local mart, went through the store in a clearly agitated fashion.

TV footage captured the full fury of the bull, whose owner was trying desperately to bring him back under control. It showed Ms Morrin taking evasive action as the bull came her way.

Shop owner John Cummins remains adamant the bull came into check out the “fresh local produce we offer at unbeatable prices.”

A spokesperson for the Ballinrobe Community Development Association said the bull “was getting a sneak preview of our novel May 5 Sale Day. Every shop in town is taking part in the promotion with special knockdown prices. We suspect the bull came to town early to check it all out for himself. We are certain he wasn’t disappointed.”