A Stafford shop today started stocking face masks in response to fears over a swine flu pandemic.

The first masks arrived at Parkside Stores and Post Office this morning and a further delivery of around a dozen was due from medical suppliers this afternoon.

The owner of the Parkside Avenue shop, Paul Dhanda, says he has decided to stock the masks in response to customers’ concerns.

The 42-year-old told the Express & Star: “I don’t want to be scaremongering but people in Stafford are worried, like people anywhere else.

“We’ve had feedback from customers to say that if it does spread, they want to be able to buy these – they’ve seen people in Mexico wearing them on the news and I think it sticks in the mind.”