A carer collecting shopping for a vulnerable client was left upset when she received verbal abuse from another customer.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said she had been shopping during the day at one of Helston's supermarkets as part of her work, so was still in uniform - an unbranded blue carer's tunic.

It was while she was going around the store that a middle-aged woman shouted at her, "Why are you in uniform in a supermarket?" and made other comments calling the woman stupid.

The carer, from Gweek, said: "I don't know where she thought I'd come from or what job I was doing, or why I was putting anybody at risk.

"I didn't respond; I just thought I didn't want to get into an argument, especially in uniform."

The woman, who has five children - four of which were under the age of 18 - who she has been living apart from for the last three weeks to keep both them and her clients safe, added: "While I'm helping people in the community I'm separated from my family.

"It was quite upsetting when you're doing what you think is helpful for others, and when you've maybe had a bad day yourself, to then get that."

She hopes that by speaking out it might encourage others to think before they speak and consider situations first.

The carer said that as a health worker she was fully trained in keeping other safe, explaining: "We deal with infectious diseases on a daily basis anyway, even before coronavirus.

"We're trained in stopping cross-contamination from client to client, and the general public. We know about washing our hands, about wearing gloves and aprons. I think anyone in uniform is probably a safer situation.

"It was just frustrating and saddening really. My clients are both at home - they're not coming into contact with anybody apart from their carers. They rely on their carers to do all their shopping.

"I don't understand why, because I was in uniform, I warranted being questioned when I was just trying to help somebody do something," she said.

And she said she was aware of other carers and health workers who had faced a similar situation.

"I guess because the uniform looks like an NHS nurse's uniform, for those that don't know the difference the fear of [someone] coming out of a hospital situation into the community is probably quite scary for a lot of people," she added.

However, the woman, who is also a member of the Helston Community Response Team and has been helping the general public who are self-isolating in her spare time, said other people in the community had been full of support.

She said: "On the other hand there have been lovely people. I've gone in my uniform to do my own shopping and the shops have been really supportive.

"People have offered me to go ahead of them. We have been offered gifts and just praise from the general public as well.

"When a lot of people are very positive it's a shame that there are a percentage that have to make you feel like you're doing something wrong."