A GRANDMOTHER suffered a black eye and hurt her lower back after she was knocked down in a shopping centre scrum.

Janet Gregory was left “dazed and bleeding” at Westfield Shopping Centre, in Stratford, after a fire alarm caused a crowd to rush in a panic and knock down the 70-year-old.

Mrs Gregory was having a meal in Pizza Express with her grandchildren Jemma and Niamh and husband Richard.

Sarah Caulfield, 43, of Wanstead, said she will not allow her two daughters to return following their ordeal on Saturday, November 11.

She said: “I was shocked, terrified. The girls were shaking and distraught. Niamh couldn’t sleep for a week because she thought her nan was going to die.

“I’m angry and frightened about the injuries. It was chaos and it’s just not good enough.”

When the alarm sounded, staff asked them to leave and suggested to Mr and Mrs Gregory that they should take the girls out the building.

As they made their way out, a shout rang out and a crowd began to stampede.

In the ensuing confusion the children ran off and Mrs Gregory was injured. The girls ended up being locked in a shop.

Mr and Mrs Gregory found them and all four left through the shop’s emergency exit.

Mrs Caulfield said she is unwilling to let her children return.

She said: “Mum was dazed and bleeding and they were relieved to have found them. Mum wants it all to go away. My parents are worried, concerned and not used to this tension.

“My kids don’t want to go back again and I’m not comfortable going there. We went to Westfield regularly. Kids have bowling parties and get pizza there but I’m not having that anymore.”

Mrs Caulfield added that there was no clear evacuation procedure.

The 43-year-old said: “Westfield told me all their staff were out putting up cordons but my parents saw no one. You’d expect clear announcements and crowd calming but there was nothing.”

Consequently, Mrs Caulfield started a petition to urgently review evacuation procedures at the shopping centre.

She said: “At the moment it’s little me against a massive corporation. I want Westfield to sit up and listen. I want acknowledgement that things aren’t good enough and I want to press for change.”

So far the petition has 449 signatories.

A spokeswoman for Westfield said: "Westfield's number one priority is the safety and security of our customers, retailers and employees and we have robust safety procedures in place.

“Following any incident, we review our protocols and processes and listen to all relevant stakeholders, including our customers.

“We have been in contact with the family and would welcome an opportunity to explain how evacuations are dealt with by the centre and to listen to their views."

Click here to sign the petition.