Spike in panic buying in Majorca

Shoppers are swarming into supermarkets all over the island and despite recommendations and reassurances about food supplies, there were some tense moments as products started to run out, with customers fighting over what was left.

At El Corte Inglés in Avinguda Jaume III in Palma, there were no potatoes, almost no pasta and not one square of toilet roll left on the shelves by mid afternoon on Saturday but there was plenty of other stuff to buy.

Traders at Pere Garau market in Palma said there were noticeably fewer customers than usual on what is normally a very busy day.

The Guardia Civil was reportedly deployed to Marratxí to control a huge number of shoppers who had flocked to a supermarket there.

Several shops, bars and restaurants decided not to open at all on Saturday morning and there were fewer people on the streets of Palma.