A WOMAN battling to save the career of a Hampshire council worker has vowed to continue her fight – despite being “warned off” by police.

Jane Gritt has started an online petition in a bid to persuade civic chiefs to re-instate a civilian crime-buster who has been suspended following an allegation of assault.

Police are investigating claims that Accredited Community Safety Officer Norman Bareham struck a 16-year-old boy in Hythe.

Today the Daily Echo can reveal that Mrs Gritt received a visit from a police sergeant and a Police Community Support Officer following the launch of her petition, which has already been signed by more than 1,000 people.

She said: “They told me to be ‘mindful’ that petitions launched with good intent can have repercussions in the future.

“They said they couldn’t ask me to remove the petition but didn’t want me putting any further information pertaining to the case on public Facebook pages.

“I found it quite intimidating. They were formal and very to the point. But despite the visit I will not stop my support of the petition. I’m doing nothing illegal and neither is anyone who signs or shares the petition.”

Hythe councillor Malcolm Wade accused police of trying to warn her off and said he had raised the issue with senior officers.

He said: “I’m a great supporter of the police but I don’t understand why they did what they did. Mrs Gritt is a law-abiding person and what she’s doing is lawful.”

A police spokesman added: “A police officer and a Police Community Support Officer visited a woman running an online petition connected to an ongoing investigation.

“She was spoken to as police were concerned about the potential adverse affect of the petition on the investigation and asked her to be mindful of this.

“They also offered her safety advice as the petition may attract attention from people both in support and against what she was doing.”

Community safety officers are employed by local authorities but wear police-style clothing and deal with issues such as littering, graffiti and the confiscation of alcohol, often through the use of on-the-spot fines.

People living in the Hythe area say Mr Bareham has played a vital role in keeping the streets safe.

The petition urging Hythe and Dibden Parish Council to reinstate the ex-servicemen has been signed by 1,200 people, including his son Iain.

He said: “His role as an ACSO does not stop when he gets home. He is always on duty, never shirks helping others and put others before himself.

“He is a person who has made me the person I am today. If I could be half the man he is I would be happy.”