Store un-bans children

Woolworths has changed its mind and says two young children banned from a Timaru supermarket for stealing a bag of sweets are free to return to the shop.

The youngsters were given trespass notices banning them for two years after they were nabbed last Saturday. The company said there had been an error of judgment in giving trespass notices to children so young.

It was company policy to contact children's parents or guardians in such cases, and usually to issue trespass orders only to shoplifters aged over 14.