Clients baffled by empty supermarket

SHOPPERS in the Nord had a surreal experience yesterday when they did their grocery shopping at a supermarket that had no staff.

Customers were baffled to find the Simply Market in Lesquin open but deserted on Tuesday afternoon - as they took their purchases to the tills to find no one manning them.

The store is normally open until 20.00 but was due to close at 13.00 because of the French public holiday.

It has emerged that the staff member responsible for locking up at the end of the shift and turning off the lights forgot to do so. Customers had no reason to think the store was closed, and carried on with their shopping.

The first customers to visit the deserted supermarket waited for some time at the tills for someone to take their money, before one shopper called police to alert them to the incident.

Store management were on the scene at about 17.00 to finally lock up the abandoned shop. Police in Wattignies said there was no damage and no sign of any theft.