The staff member said, "We want to sell people things not turn them away."

Cars clogged up a main road and a car park at a filling station in Kells, Co Meath, on their quest for fuel today.

Its 31 remaining stores in the UK and Ireland will close before the end of the day on Tuesday and the website has also been closed.

The chief executive of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association said many shop owners are fearful.