FOOD rationing made an unexpected return to South Lakeland and Furness as panic buying led to a brisk trade in supermarkets and other stores.

Shoppers were keen to snap up bread and milk, meat, flour and yeast, toilet roll, fizzy drinks, water, rice, pasta, potatoes and pet food.

The Asda stores at Kendal and Barrow, and Morrisons in Kendal, all rationed milk or bread or both at some point during the week, although restrictions were starting to ease yesterday (Thursday).

Supplies to all three stores were keeping up with the increased demand.

The Booth's supermarkets in Carnforth, Kendal, Windermere and Ulverston all reported a very brisk trade but were managing to keep their stock levels up.

The Windermere store was between 50 and 75 per cent busier than usual yesterday.

Stuart Smith said customers at his butcher's shop in Milnthorpe were stocking up with £25 worth of meat, rather than their more usual £3, while the owner of Broughton Village Bakery, Sally Loftus, said on Wednesday she was selling twice as many loaves as usual.