A PLEA went out to Huddersfield people today: Let's be nice to each other.

It came from Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, who is aiming to make the town the courtesy capital of the country.

And he hopes the politeness campaign will help dozens of shop workers, public officials and bank staff in the town, reeling from a torrent of verbal - and sometimes physical - abuse.

"It costs nothing to be nice, nothing to be polite," said the Labour MP.

"There is no reason why when we are being served or helped by someone we cannot be polite.

"I have been talking to shop staff and I have been appalled by their complaints and concerns about how people treat them.

"It seems someone only has to queue in a shop, a supermarket or a bank for a few minutes and they want to take it out on someone."

Mr Sheerman has been in talks with the shopworkers' union Usdaw over their concerns and has promised to take up their case.

But he believes a direct appeal to the public of Huddersfield can pay dividends in the courtesy stakes.

"People trying to do their job are subjected to horrible verbal abuse time after time, and that sometimes leads to physical attacks.

"If you do go into a shop or an office, then treat the person serving you with the respect their status merits.

"There is no reason why we cannot make Huddersfield the courtesy capital of Britain.

"We can set an example simply by saying `please, thank you and thanks for your help'."

The MP's views were echoed by the Civil Service Motoring Association, which has launched a Campaign for Courteous Driving.

It wants courtesy on the roads to be a part of the driving theory test.