UNLESS we’ve missed some vital aspect of Adam Lawson’s story, the treatment meted out to him has been cynical and disgusting.

The forklift driver, already facing being thrown out of work like fellow South Marston Distribution Centre workers, has been obliged to leave days earlier than scheduled.

The reason given, he says, was that an England baseball cap he wore for St George’s Day was deemed by a team leader to be offensive and contrary to uniform standards.

If his account is accurate - and we have no reason to doubt its accuracy - then the team leader is a nasty, petty, power-tripping and spiteful specimen of humanity.

The company, meanwhile, has tarnished itself by failing to step in and treat Mr Lawson with dignity.

We would love to hear precisely which aspect of the uniform regulations he is supposed to have contravened, and we would also love to hear why a minor infringement of it matters at this stage.

Mr Lawson believes he was terminated in order for the company to save cash by getting rid of him early, and we have yet to see any compelling evidence to the contrary.

It is bad enough that people are being shed from certain firms in large numbers, leaving many of them worrying how they are going to keep a roof over their head or feed their families.

For this to be compounded by what seems on the face of it to be pure vindictiveness is disgraceful.