THERE were chaotic scenes at supermarkets in Worcester over the week as the Covid-19 crisis continues.

And a desperate appeal has been made to panic buyers to stop it.

Worcester’s MP Robin Walker has pleaded with people to shop with others in mind. The MP said: “People need to be sensible - if you stockpile, you are depriving others.”

Grahame Lucas at Worcester Foodbank echoed the appeal, as he said he didn’t want to see an impact on their work.

“It is absolutely disgusting behaviour, so selfish,” he said.

“It is bad enough for me to do a normal shop, let alone for someone who can’t afford to put food on the table. The supply industry is running as normal, it is the panic buying that is the issue.

"We have had a good week here (with people giving donations), it has been like Christmas. But we need people to continue to support us, we need it to carry on.”

ASDA in St Martins Gate, Worcester, was heaving with shoppers on Saturday morning, with big queues at tills just after opening.

A reporter witnessed arguments with tannoy announcements having to be made to inform customers there were restrictions on items. Toilets rolls was selling out as quickly as they were put out, and other items were in short supply.

Meanwhile there were queues to get into the B&M Bargains store before it opened at 9am, with readers and shop workers speaking of similar scenes across the city in recent days.

One shopper summed up it with one word: "chaotic".

An elderly couple, Judy and Bill Scarrett said they had hoped to see a first hour not open to everyone but to priority shoppers, but had been forced to go in "like the rest of them".

"There was no way round it," Mrs Scarrett said.

"We saw it on the television, people crying. It is crazy, ridiculous."

Mr Scarrett added: "We were just getting what we can afford, we were lucky to get what we did."

We have had hundreds of comments about the situation on social media, with Stephanie Stallard writing: "I work for Tesco and till staff are telling people (about item rules).

"They (shoppers) are having products removed from their shopping. The amount of abuse that our staff are under is absolutely disgraceful.

"Don’t get me wrong the majority totally understand and are fine about it, but there are some nasty people out there and they don’t care about anyone else but themselves unfortunately."

Claire Logan said: "I work in a supermarket and it is like nothing I could ever of imagined.

"I've worked six days this week, there were people outside from 6am waiting for us to open at 7. The loo rolls, pasta, milk, eggs, bread all gone by 7.30am."

Steve Hobbs said: “I’ve actually witnessed these selfish panic buyers go in, load their car up and then go back in for another shop, or they get a family member in the same car to then go in themselves for a repeat shop.”

Jilly Bean said: “It’s disgusting. People should be ashamed but they just don’t care. Even with shops only opening for the first hour for the elderly and vulnerable, this is still happening."

Kim Darby said: “Workers don’t stand a chance by the time they leave, nothing is left, it’s disgraceful.”

Amy Homer said: “The problem is they say only two items per person. Great however people go in pairs and buy two of each, and then come back into the store.”

Robert Urmston said: “Needs to be controlled, vulnerable customers have to struggle, as everyone takes with no care in the world.”

Rebecca Barlow said: “I’ve not been able to do a proper shop for over two weeks. I work and by the time I get to the supermarket everything has gone. We are living on soup and noodles as that’s all we have.”

Kimberley Fisk said: “Time we brought in rationing.”

The government met with bosses at major supermarket chains over the weekend and some, including Tesco, ASDA and Iceland, have already introduced dedicated hours for elderly, vulnerable and NHS workers in recent days.