The coronavirus stockpilers who use BB guns & chainsaws to protect their huge hauls & even keep them under lock & key – The Sun

MUM-OF-TWO Emma Tarry is fiercely protective of her massive coronavirus stockpile – so much so she’s bought a BB gun to make sure no-one gets their hands on it.

As soon as the World Health Organisation declared coronavirus a global pandemic earlier thie year, the single mum bought enough food and medicine to ensure she didn’t need to leave the house for weeks.

Emma, mum to Jayden, five, and three-year-old Leo, has 800 nappies, ten kilos of chicken, ten boxes of fish fingers and six bottles of Calpol among her haul.

While many have criticised people who are stocking up their cupboards, Emma remains completely unrepentant.

Not only is she proud of the bulging pantry which will feed her family for months, she will take any measures needed to protect it – and she’s not the only one.

Here, Fabulous talks to three mums who are going to extreme measures to ensure their coronavirus stockpiles remain safe.

‘I’ve bought a BB gun and already brandished it out my window’

Emma Tarry, 26, is a mum-of-two from Lancaster and her stockpile includes 800 nappies, 14 boxes of cereal and 68 tins of dog food.

She is terrified of her family being stuck indoors without food so bought a BB gun in case anyone tries to nick her hoard.

“I researched how to legally buy a BB gun or air rifle and bought one from a local gun shop.

I’ve previously had shooting lessons on a local gun range, it’s legal and stored correctly and it gives me peace of mind.

During lockdown, I woke up in the middle of the night and heard someone trying to break into my garden shed.

I stayed upstairs and pointed the BB gun out the window and told the man to ‘eat the dirt’.

I didn’t go downstairs – I was shaking and the dogs were barking.

I’m a single mum on a limited income and my kids come first.

When the coronavirus hit I made a list of supplies we needed to stay indoors and on lockdown for three months – my decision to prepare and stay indoors was correct and no one can tell me otherwise.

I used my savings to buy it all and had two trolleys at one supermarket – people were pointing and criticising.

I ignored them – if it’s raining you don’t go outdoors without an umbrella, so you don’t go into lockdown without enough food for your family.

I bought a double door freezer and stocked it with ten kilos of chicken, ten boxes of fish fingers, oven chips, frozen fruit and veg and five chocolate gateaux cheese cakes.

I have 800 nappies, 20 packets of kids wipes, seven tubs of vitamins, six bottles of calpol and paracetamol to last three months for myself.

I have 14 boxes of cereal, 12 litres of UHT milk and 15 Easter eggs.

And I got a pack of 200 gloves and five N95 masks for myself and the kids

I didn’t forget the pets either, with six tubs of fish food and 68 tins for my two dogs.

I steam clean everything before it comes inside and wash all the post, if it comes in plastic bags, with disinfectant.

Stockpiling is not a crime. I know people will either hate or love my approach and I simply don’t care, my kids and family come first.

‘If people try and steal my stockpile they face me and my chainsaw’

Gemma Keough, 32, is from Greater Manchester and mum to Brianna, eight, Kenneth, five, and three-year-old Kayden.

The building maintenance worker started stockpiling when the news about coronavirus first hit and has 12 loaves in her freezer, as well as hundreds of tea bags and sweet treats too.

Her husband Stephen works as a cleaner, often at night, and she keeps a chainsaw near her in case she has to protect her groceries.

“There is a high crime rate in our area and when Stephen is out doing key work I want to make sure our stockpile is safe – people near us have been broken into.

I have a chainsaw I used to use for the gardening maintenance work I did and I’ll use it to protect my stockpile.

I am a strong woman and my family means everything to me, but if people try and steal my stockpile they face me and my chainsaw.

The sound of the chainsaw being turned on is enough to scare someone out of the garden or house.

I am not being ridiculous – emergency services are stretched to the max and if having a chainsaw makes me feel safer and ensures thieves think twice about coming near our Wotsits, sardines and beans then so be it.

Stephen and I went to our local Costco when the news about coronavirus started coming through and over a couple of weeks built our stockpile, we have enough for four to six weeks.

This means the kids and I don’t have to go out and buy anything from the shops and our family is protected.

I’ve stocked up on a monster size pack of teabags for over 500 cups of tea.

We have five kilos of rice, catering-sized tins of baked beans and spaghetti hoops.

I have stocked up on three litre containers of tomato sauce, canned mince beef, spaghetti bolognese sauces and bulk bags of pasta.

I have bought catering packs of pizzas and cans of sweetcorn, bulk cheese and ham – we eat some then freeze the rest.

We have a bulk supply of sardines which are Stephen’s favourite treat.

I have also stockpiled Haribo, chocolate brownies with 40 pieces in a tub and huge packs of crisps and Wotsits with 60 bags in each.

I’ve frozen a dozen loaves of bread too. My family hasn’t been to the shops for over two weeks so we’re not putting any pressure on supermarkets.

It makes it easier for NHS staff, key workers, the elderly and other families to get access.

I’m not being selfish and if any one criticises me for ensuring my family is safe I won’t accept it.

Most people doing the criticising have hidden stashes anyway and just want to make trouble.

It’s time more mums stood their ground to protect their stockpiles and families.”

'The enemy I can see will face me and my saucepan'

Kelsey Greening is mum to Evelyn, two, and lives in Wakefield.

Her home is full of nappies, Calpol and cleaning favourite Zoflora, as well as dozens of tins of beans.

She keeps her stockpile under lock and key, day and night, in case anyone breaks in.

“I keep everything under lock and key.

I keep a rolling pin and saucepan handy by my bed in case someone tries to break in during the night and I lock everything up during the day as well.

Break-ins are on the increase and I want to be ready and feel safe.

Our leaders didn’t stockpile enough test kits or even masks and gloves for the NHS staff.

That’s why I won’t be criticised for putting together a stockpile of food, baby items, and cleaning products to keep my family in lockdown for at least four weeks.

I was never a stockpiler before the coronavirus hit our country.

When it did the shopping I used all my savings to buy enough to feed my daughter and my partner, Kacper Kruk, 20, a landscape gardener who now can’t work because of  the pandemic.

I shopped early over a ten-day period and got it sorted before the craziness began.

Included in my stockpile are 12 bags of pasta and noodles and a month’s supply of curry and pasta sauce.

I have a dozen tins of baked beans as well as tinned fruit and vegetables.

I have enough fresh fruit to last two weeks and whenever anything isn’t used I freeze it or make cakes, biscuits and treats like banana bread.

I have a month’s supply of cleaning products including Zoflora disinfectant, bleach sprays, toilet cleaners and kitchen wipes.

I have three bottles of Calpol, a dozen packets of Curly Wurly treats, a dozen Freddo frogs and 12 chocolate hippos to keep life normal for my child.

A treat a day gets us through lockdown.

I can hear the haters now asking if Haribo or Freddo frogs are essential items – if they keep my life normal they are.

I have stocked up on six jumbo packs of nappies, with 72 in each.

It means I have 450 to last me through the next six weeks, plus 36 packets of wipes.

People who criticise mums for being prepared all have stockpiles themselves and want to take their aggression out on other people.

If someone comes after my nappies or Curly Wurlies I know I can defend myself and my child with a rolling pin or a saucepan.

The coronavirus is the unseen enemy – the enemy I can see will face me and my saucepan.”

We previously brought you the story of Georgia, who's self-isolating with her ex for the sake of her kids.

While devastated mum Sarah shared a heartbreaking photo of her husband, who found out she'd lost their baby while isolating.

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