BLACKBURN'S branch of B&Q had to evacuate its customers and close yesterday after a coronavirus infection was reported.

The case was confirmed at the Nova Scotia Retail Park, Bolton Road branch and was detected at around 9.15am on Thursday July 1 when a staff member tested positive.

Customers were immediately asked to evacuate in order to prevent any further infections spreading, with the store closed shortly afterwards.

One customer, who was in the branch at the time, said: "People were suddenly panicking saying we've got to get out, we've got to get out.

"At first I thought it was someone with a knife or something like that but then they were saying no its a Covid incident.

"I wasn't entirely sure about what they meant by a Covid incident, whether they meant an infection or outbreak, but we all had to leave immediately."

The company's head office later confirmed that a member of staff at the Blackburn store had tested positive for the virus and that branch was then closed while sanitisation measures were put in place.

A B&Q spokesperson said: "We can confirm that our Blackburn store was temporarily closed today following one team member receiving a positive Covid 19 test result.

"Closing the store for a deep clean was a precautionary measure and goes beyond government advice.

"The store has now re-opened.”