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​Panicked Shoppers Rush To Supermarkets To Stock Up Before 'Beast From The East' Hits

​Panicked Shoppers Rush To Supermarkets To Stock Up Before 'Beast From The East' Hits

As the 'Beast From The East' heads our way, it seems the British public are starting to get more than just a little bit concerned

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

Any time it snows in Britain, there's always national uproar. While Brits are used to cold weather, unlike those living in truly icy regions, they're usually just used to weeks of drizzle and a slightly nippy wind. But snow? Snow is another matter altogether.

And, true to form, as the 'Beast From The East' heads our way, it seems the British public are starting to get more than just a little bit concerned, and are reportedly cleaning out supermarket shelves in a panic-buying frenzy.

According to the Sun, customers at a Tesco Extra branch in Gillingham, Kent, have reported seeing chaos unfurl as people elbowed each other out of the way to stock up, while similar scenes were also found in Asda in Sittingbourne and Waitrose in Guernsey - where all the milk and bread has been snatched from shelves.

Mercury Press

Mercury Press

One person even tweeted a photo of empty shelves in Waitrose, where signs for shoppers read: "We apologise for the lack of stock, which is due to adverse weather conditions."

And in a very British move, the message also added: "Thank you for your patience."

Of course, it's not just the local shops that have already seen the effects of the storm, nicknamed the 'Beast from the East' after sweeping across Russia and northern Europe, bringing with it some fiercely cold winds from Siberia.

Met Office

The folk at Southeastern Trains have already warned commuters to try and get on a service before 6pm, as the schedule is very unpredictable once the storm properly hits.

The Met Office has also said that travel delays on roads are likely, and there could also be power cuts that could affect other services like mobile phone networks.

Last week, the polar vortex was listed as a 'Yellow Weather Warning', which means 'be aware' but that's now been bumped up to 'Amber', meaning 'be prepared' for the Midlands, England's north and half of Scotland. Such a level of warning suggests there may be a risk to life.

The Met Office says: "Heavy snow showers are expected on Wednesday. Travel delays on roads are likely, stranding some vehicles and passengers. Some delays and cancellations to rail and air travel are likely. There is a good chance that some rural communities could become cut off. Power cuts are likely and other services, such as mobile phones, may be affected."

Featured Image Credit: Mercury Press

Topics: Snow, Weather, UK News, Beast From The East, UK