MORE must be done to protect retail staff against the rising tide of attacks and abuse in their workplace, say unions.

Retail union USDAW yesterday took its Freedom From Fear campaign to Downing Street, where it delivered a national petition of more than 100,000 signatures, calling for greater protection for its members.

George Cain, USDAW North-East regional organiser, said: "It is a massive problem in our region and it is getting worse. Shop workers are like fish in a barrel - they have got nowhere to go.

"Earlier this year, people I represent in Sunderland had a shotgun held to their faces and needed hours of counselling."

Figures released by employers' group the British Retail Consortium, as part of its annual Retail Crime Survey, showed that last year shop workers nationwide endured 16,200 physical assaults, 48,600 threats of attack and 70,000 incidents of verbal abuse.

USDAW deputy general secretary John Hannett said: "These appalling figures are only the recorded figures. We know many more incidents go unrecorded.

"Our members are telling us enough is enough. The petition is just one step in our ongoing campaign to get employers, the Government and police to take retail crime much more seriously."