Safety alert shuts 14 Tesco stores

A TESCO store in Suffolk was one of a string across England, Scotland and Wales to be closed today “as a precaution for public safety”.

The store at the St Saviours interchange at Bury St Edmunds was closed early this afternoon due to the safety alert.

The supermarket chain and police forces in the districts involved refused to give details, with authorities saying the stores were closed as “a precaution”.

A Suffolk police spokesman said officers were called to assist staff at the Bury store at 12.45pm.

He said Tesco had issued the following statement via police: “Police are investigating a series of incidents in a number of locations across the country involving Tesco stores.

“These stores have been temporarily closed as a precaution for public safety.”

Officers remained at the Bury store this evening.

Suffolk police said Tesco was handling the closure operation and its officers were simply assisting. The force said no-one had been injured.

There were reports that approach roads to the Bury store were blocked by police and signs had been placed on the road alerting customers to the closure.

Other stores affected by the closures were in Lancashire, Dyfed Powys in Wales, Fife in Scotland, Leicestershire, Humberside, West Mercia, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Strathclyde and London.

A Tesco spokeswoman said: “Tesco is working with the police following a series of incidents.

“Police are investigating and so we are unable to comment further.”

She added: “As always, at all times customer welfare is our priority.”

Staff at a Tesco store in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, were escorted outside the store at about 12.30pm today and sent home for the day.

The manager of one store told The Press Association that the closure was down to a “power failure”.

Other reports suggested the stores had been subject to a bomb threat.