Teenage girl dressed as chicken punched on first day at work

A teenage girl who was attacked while dressed as a chicken was on her first day in the job. Police have appealed for witnesses following the attack, which happened in Northampton town centre sometime between 3.10pm and 3.40pm on Sunday afternoon, when the 17-year-old girl dressed in a giant chicken suit was punched by a teenage boy.

The girl, who was “shaken up” but not seriously hurt, had been promoting Pepe’s Piri Piri, a chicken take-away, while dressed as the shop’s mascot. The shop’s owner, Muhammad Junaid, said: “She came in with her CV and the next day she came in as planned to put on the chicken suit. She wanted to wear our chicken suit, she was very enthusiastic about it and very happy about it.

"She had lots of A* qualifications and merits so I asked her if she was sure she really wanted to be our chicken, and she said yes. I think she thought it would be a fun way to earn a little money for a few days." Mr Junaid said he told her when wearing the large costume she needed to 'be aware of your environment and watch your back'. "Luckily the mascot face is very big, so that protected her, but why anyone would do it, I just do not know," he added.

Mr Junaid also revealed that thugs had previously attacked another person who was dressed as the shop’s chicken mascot. He said: “In the past someone has tried to push the chicken in front of a bus.
 This summer we didn’t get the chicken suit out. It is only the second time this year we have used it.” Northamptonshire Police are looking for a boy, aged about 14, 5ft 3in (1.6m) tall and of slim build. He was wearing a blue hooded top with white stripes on the sleeve and dark tracksuit bottoms. It is believed he was with another boy who was riding a BMX bike.