Customers shopping at a Swindon supermarket have reported seeing a rat running across the shopfloor and have noticed some products appear to have bite marks on them.

Staff at the Iceland store on Cricklade Road apologised to customers on Tuesday afternoon by placing a handwritten sign in the window explaining that they were forced to close "due to unforeseen circumstances" and "until further notice."

But locals soon took to social media to share their confusion, as the store had been open on Tuesday morning and there was no indication of how long it would be closed or reasons given for the closure.

Several other shoppers said they had seen a rat on Monday and assumed the store was suddenly closed for pest control to remove the rodent.

One woman reported: "They had a rat in there yesterday running around the store."

Meanwhile, Bianca and Nat said they had purchased items which looked as if they had been “chewed by a rodent.” 

Nat, who had been in the store buying children’s snacks and did not notice the alleged bite marks, said: “I've been shopping here twice in two weeks to find the food that I’ve taken home was all chewed open and eaten, looks like rats. 

"First the burger then I bought four of the Attack a Snacks a week later with the week's shop. I am not going back there; I have already emailed a complaint.”

Bianca had the shopping delivered to her when she noticed the plastic packaging appeared to have been nibbled at on one of the products.

(Image: Dave Cox) After complaining to the store manager, who she says was "extremely apologetic", she was issued a full refund on her entire food shop to make amends for the incident. 

The retailer was visited by food hygiene inspectors on August 14 and given a top rating of five, with safety officers ranking the hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of facilities and building and management of food safety ‘very good.’

An Iceland spokesperson said: "Our Cricklade Road store was closed for a day this week following colleagues spotting a rodent.

“We immediately deep cleaned the store and worked with environmental health and the local council to reopen as quickly as possible. We aim for the highest standards in all our stores, and the store has a 5/5 food hygiene rating."

Iceland was back open to customers as usual on Wednesday morning.