STAFF at a pharmacy in Worcester have called for understanding after they were abused over a face mask photo.

A photo shared widely on social media shows face masks at the pharmacy in Broad Street on sale for £90, but the photo does not show that the pack contains 50 facemasks, working out at less than £2 per mask.

Since then, staff have grown increasingly upset with the abuse, which they say has made their jobs harder.

Keeley Walley, pharmacy administrator, said: "You can imagine the pressure we are under at the moment, everyone needs medication and deliveries.

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"We are at capacity at the moment but still taking on new clients for deliveries.

"We have been getting so much abuse online. We have all got families, many of whom have medical conditions, so we are putting ourselves out here on the frontline to help people and we are getting abuse like this.

"We have had a social media comment saying someone should put a brick through our window."

As a family run pharmacy, Kitsons is able to source items such as face masks and hand sanitiser from the manufacturers themselves.

This, with the increasing demand from the coronavirus pandemic, has resulted in the prices going up.

Mrs Walley added: "The picture going round is of a box of facemasks for £90. In that box there are 50 masks so they are retailing for less than £2 a mask.

"We are a family run business and are just trying to assist people. Getting this level of abuse is really not nice.

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"We have had people give us abuse about operating different hours and closing early, but we are having to close to deep clean the pharmacy and keep the place open.

"The team are really disheartened by the abuse and are increasingly getting upset.

"We have been opening extra days, sacrificing our weekends and Mother's Days to stay open and the whole industry is getting this level of abuse."

Retailers and pharmacies across the country have been struggling to keep up with supply and demand amid a wave of panic buying which has hit the nation in the last few weeks.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced all shops except for those providing "essential items" would have to close to prevent the spread of coronavirus.