Fresh supplies arrive onboard Hercules plane

This was the scene as a Hercules aircraft touched down in Sumburgh loaded with fresh food to replenish the shelves at Tesco in Lerwick.

Shoppers had stripped the store of its fresh stock on Friday morning at the start of what had been expected to be the busiest weekend of the year.

With no ferries expected to sail until Sunday night because of the high winds the supermarket chain made alternative plans to get stock.

A fleet of 11 lorries that had been stuck at Aberdeen port were sent south and the stock was transferred to Edinburgh where it was loaded onto the Hercules plane. It landed at Sumburgh on Saturday afternoon where a fleet of lorries was waiting to carry the food to Lerwick.

Tesco says the move is unprecedented and store manager Paul Clelland said it was the “right thing” to do, so customers could get the stock they needed ahead of Christmas.

More flights are expected over the weekend to keep the shelves stocked.