A SUPERMARKET was forced to shut its doors after a shopper fell ill and sadly died.

Traumatic scenes unfolded at Aldi, in London Road, Westcliff, shortly after 2pm yesterday, when a customer fell ill in the store and was thought to have been suffering with breathing difficulties. 

Paramedics rushed to the man's aid but sadly, he died at the scene.

Shoppers were told to abandon their trolleys and vacate the store as quickly as possible.

An air ambulance landed in nearby Chalkwell Park and three ambulances also went to the scene to tend to the medical emergency.

An eye-witness, who was in the store at the time and wanted to remain anonymous, said: “It wasn’t very nice at all. Some of the staff were crying.

“One minute he was laying on the floor and breathing rapidly, and the next minute they’ve chucked us all out so obviously something very bad has happened.

“I heard someone shout ‘get an ambulance’ and saw he was on the floor.

“There was all staff round him and they’ve put his head on a cushion from the display.

“They then wouldn’t let anybody go down that aisle, but about ten minutes after that they told us all to leave - ‘leave your shopping where it is and just go’.

“I couldn’t really determine his age but he didn’t seem elderly.

“Three ambulances turned up as we were all leaving and paramedics ran inside.”

Another witness reported they had seen forensics in the store around 4pm.

The store remained closed for the rest of the evening.

A spokesman for East of England Ambulance Service, said: "Two ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance officer vehicle and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance were called to London Road, Westcliff, yesterday following reports that a man had been taken  ill.

"Sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, the patient died at the scene."