An employee at a Shipley food shop is being investigated by police about racist comments posted on Facebook after a woman tragically killed herself in a rival store.

Sobia Yousef, 36, who had suffered mental health problems since the death of her nine-year-old daughter five months ago, died from a self-inflicted knife wound in the town’s Asda store on Tuesday morning.

Shortly afterwards, a Facebook posting appeared under the account of Danny Johnson, an employee of Fultons Foods in Market Square, making racist comments about her death and bragging that the closure of Asda while police investigated Mrs Yousef’s death had been good for his business.

It read: “Should make my sales target this week! Haha.” He later posted it had been “possibly the best morning I could have had” and added: “I’ll laugh at owt me, sick int’ head.”

Today, Barnsley-based Fultons Foods revealed it had removed Mr Johnson from the store as soon as it had been alerted to his comments and it had informed West Yorkshire Police.

Mike Hinchliffe, its operations manager, said: “The company in no way condones any of the comments made by the individual and we are disgusted by the content.

“These are one individual’s comments and are not reflective of the views of the company in any way.”

The company has also put a statement on the front door of its Shipley shop distancing itself from the comments which have caused an outraged response on social media.

Inspector Sue Sanderson, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We are aware of the comments which have been posted on social media and are investigating."