A PHOTOGRAPH taken by a shopper at the Co-op in Prudhoe has shown the impact of stockpiling on some of the most vulnerable residents.

Stocksfield resident Tim Hills shared an image on Facebook of an elderly woman besides empty shelves with an empty basket on Thursday night.

He urged people to think before they buy and compared current consumer habits to being like ‘survival of the fittest’.

Tim, who set up the Facebook community group Stocksfield Matters, said he felt he had to play a responsible role in the community.

"Things are being stocked over night, people need not panic," he said.

"People just need to calm down.

"I have been working with Stocksfield and Broomhaugh councillor Anne Dale, and we are trying to put together a community response to help the elderly and vulnerable.

"Over the last five days we have been contacted by scores of local residents who all want to get involved. It's been a great community effort."

Many supermarkets throughout the district introduced measures earlier this week, which included dedicated shopping times for the elderly and vulnerable.

However, shelves continue to be stripped of essentials at the earliest opportunity with shoppers queuing up in their droves outside stores before opening hours.