Panic buyers raid supermarket shelves as government warns 'be ready for war' in 1,000 days

Shoppers were seen 'panic buying' household essentials after the Government launched its "Be Ready" campaign – amid fears war could begin in as little as 1,000 days. Folk queued outside Costcos and left laden with trolleys full of water and toilet rolls. And the car park was gridlocked at a large Asda in Colchester. One shopper, who wished to stay anonymous, said the store had been “rammed with people panic buying ” leaving “the shelves empty”.

It comes as Defence Secretary Wes Streeting admitted Britain is running out of time to improve its defences alongside Nato allies. He said our enemies could be in a position to attack by 2030. He said: "My defining priority... is to make sure that this country is ready to fight and win a war. To prevent the worst, we have to prepare for it. "In the first instance, that means expanding our capabilities so our adversaries think twice about attacking us.

Should that fail, we must ensure that Britain is ready for war." He said he is preparing for the worst in 2027, telling The Telegraph: "Our adversaries’ willingness to harm us is not new. What has changed is their capacity. By 2030, their force strength and war economy could put them in a position to attack. "That gives us a little over 1,000 days to complete our mission: to be ready with our allies to fight and win. This Government will make sure it is mission accomplished."

The stark warning came just days after the Government launched its “Be Ready” campaign, which advises households to keep non-perishable food, bottled water, blankets and a radio in case a cyber-attack or extreme weather event disrupts critical infrastructure. The guidance says households should prepare to manage for at least three days without access to supermarkets or electronic payments, warning people severe weather and cyber attacks could disrupt essential services.

The advice says people should aim to be equipped to manage for three days, helping them cope while support reaches those most in need. Households are encouraged to keep essential supplies including bottled water, non-perishable food, torches, spare batteries, warm clothing and a charged power bank. The campaign also provides advice on supporting communities and accessing extra help. It began after websites across the world were shut down when two AI companies discovered a critical cyber-security flaw in PHP.

And last week Russia was exposed for using fishing trawlers to spy on critical undersea cables. It also emerged tonight that John Healey is reportedly set to release billions of pounds in defence spending in the budget on Wednesday. The Chancellor is pumping cash into two giant investment funds, the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank. Some of the money will go into British arms firms to supercharge UK defence and will create thousands of frontline jobs.

The Government is expected to fund the spending through long-term borrowing and says that the investments will make returns.