Pictures: Shopper takes dramatic precautions against coronavirus in Milton Keynes

Fellow shoppers on Saturday could not work out whether he he was a prankster or someone who was genuinely paranoid about catching the virus.

Further reading: Gas masks on the train and empty shelves in shops as coronavirus panic grips Milton Keynes"I reckon it was a prank - a bit of light relief amid all the panic. But either way it was very strange. Everybody was staring at him," said one visitor.

Another said: "The man was wearing a robe and an old fashioned suit, similar to the old plague doctor outfit, as well as an OM-14 Soviet gas mask that must have been around 60 years old. He was casually walking through the shopping centre," said another witness.

"It was a surprise to see something so strange on a normal day," he added.

The photos are now being circulated on social media.

It comes after a man in his 80s sadly died from the COVID-19 at MK Hospital last week. Hospital bosses have since insisted they 'did everything right' in the process - Read full story here.And a second case has been reported at the hospital today (Monday) - Read full story here.