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Christmas turkey shortages    22/12/12

There is a Christmas turkey shortage in South Uist because of rough seas forcing ferry cancellations.

The Daliburgh Co-op has run out of the festive fare this week and were meant to get relief supplies from the Barra store this weekend.

Wilds weather prevented the Sound of Barra ferry from sailing so the turkey fridge is bare.

Duty manageress Joanne Jevans said more fresh supplies would arrive in time for Christmas.

The fear that bad weather would leave lorry loads of Christmas dinners stranded on the mainland has sparked a buying frenzy in Stornoway this weekend.

The thought of going without a traditional turkey lunch and all the trimmings has resulted in droves of supermarket shoppers snapping up fresh food supplies early.

The last main convoy of lorries, filled to the brim with Christmas goodies for Lewis, have been disrupted by weather-hit ferries today (Sat).

The freight ferry MV Muirneag did not sail due to heavy seas. The alternative MV Isle of Lewis is presently storm bound on the mainland this afternoon when she should be sailing on one of her busiest voyages of the season.

Steven Cooper, manager of Stornoway’s Macaulay Road Scottish Co-op said the size of the crowds in store are “unbelievable.”

Mr Cooper reckons that islanders are doing the last minute Christmas Eve rush tow days early. He believes the supermarket will be much calmer on the 24th compared to this weekend.

Stornoway Co-op staff are working flat out to fill the shelves as fast as they can but are hampered by lorry deliveries not arriving until around 6pm nightly after a series of ferry disruptions caused by gales this week.

Mr Cooper said the shop was crazy with the huge number of shoppers.

He highlighted: “People aren’t waiting until Monday in case that ferry is cancelled. People aren’t risking leaving it to the last minute.”

He pointed out that there should be plenty of supplies and praised haulage drivers for diverting trips to take some deliveries in via Harris.