Ormskirk pumpkin farm forced to close after staff abused
A pick-your-own pumpkin farm has been forced to close after staff said they were spat at, confronted and bombarded with abuse.
Pumpkin Alley in Ormskirk, Lancashire, shut on Sunday amid angry scenes when the farm's car park filled up. Attendants said some drivers ignored the advice, while others parked dangerously on a busy main road. Staff said they were "saddened" after a "tough" day, but felt it was important to put "safety before profits, always". In a statement on Facebook, they said: "We don't use a booking system because we are an inclusive patch and what other places are charging for tickets would price low income families out and we don't believe in doing that. "Our staff are capable and they do not need training how to handle abuse, because they should not be getting it in the first place. "We understand children are disappointed when they can't pick pumpkins, and our aim is not to disappoint children. "We do however, aim to keep your children safe, and if that means closing our patch and losing money then that's what has to happen. Safety before profits, always."