A COUNCIL probe has been launched after a pensioner's family lodged a complaint about her treatment at the hands of polling officials.

Kit Hood says staff were 'rude and dismissive' as her elderly mum Nan Urquhart struggled to cast her vote at Fairlie Village Hall last Thursday.

She told the News workers sent her mother to the wrong table then snapped at her before snatching her polling card from her hand - all while ignoring social distancing rules.

Kit, 65, has demanded council chiefs carry out an investigation into the alleged course of conduct.

She added: ""My mum gave the lady at the door her name and address and was sent to the furthest away table, where they very nastily told her she was at the wrong one.

"She then went down to the other table and was snapped at. She took her voting cards to the woman there who said, 'what are you giving them to me for? They go in the ballot boxes!'.

"A man then snatched them from her hand and stuffed them in the boxes.

"I was shocked when she told me. I would have thought that staff would be a bit more understanding with a pensioner.

"I am very annoyed by how my mother was treated, and more importantly by the guy's lack of social distancing when he came up to her and took the ballot papers.

"These people should be reprimanded and properly trained in the future.

"My mother is young for her age and intelligent. If this is how they treated her I dread to think how they would treat someone who was elderly and confused."

Kit, who lives in Fife Avenue, has taken the matter to North Ayrshire Council.

Nan was a former shorthand typist for Mactaggarts in Largs and husband Eddie sadly passed away last year.

Living at Southannan, Nan had walked from her house to Fairlie Village Hall to vote.

Kit says the community has rallied around to support for her mum - but hit out at the upset it has caused her family.

She said: "I didn't recognise any of the polling staff - it wasn't the usual people that are normally there for elections.

"I also voted that day but a different time. Perhaps they were busy and harassed, but that is no excuse to treat my mum so disgracefully."

The News spoke to the Ayrshire Valuation Board electoral assessors about the matter and they confirmed that they had received a complaint, but say it is a matter for the Returning Officer at North Ayrshire Council and that they had forwarded Kit's complaint.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We have only been made aware of this complaint today and are now looking into the matter.

“While it is regrettable that Mrs Urquhart felt she had not been treated well, it is important that we investigate before making any judgements.

“We know that our polling staff are overwhelmingly helpful and courteous, and it is incredibly rare for complaints of this manner to be made about them.

“We have Polling Place Inspectors who visit polling places throughout election day. Other than pointing out that some polling places, including Fairlie, were cold due to compliance with Covid guidance, the voters they spoke to were very content with the arrangements on the day.

“Nevertheless, we will investigate this matter thoroughly and will respond to the family thereafter."