YOUR mission, if you choose to accept it, is to find a fan to keep yourself cool.As temperatures stay at sweltering levels, thousands of people across the county are suffering as they cannot find any fans to cool themselves down.

YOUR mission, if you choose to accept it, is to find a fan to keep yourself

cool.

As temperatures stay at sweltering levels, thousands of people across the county are suffering as they cannot find any fans to cool themselves down.

Trevor Fishlock, general manager of Dixon's in Tavern Street, Ipswich, summed up the situation when he said: "Everywhere in Ipswich is sold out."

The store last had a delivery of eight fans on Monday, August 11 but they

were bought within minutes of the store opening.

Mr Fishlock said: "Even though, it was chucking it down on Monday morning,

we took the fans off the lorry but did not even get to put prices on them.

They just got snapped up in 15 minutes.

"They normally sell out every year but the heatwave this year has caused a

much bigger demand. We have tried to get more but it is mission impossible."

A spokeswoman from Argos in Carr Street, Ipswich revealed they sold out of

fans at the end of July and were not expecting any more and this is a

problem all over Suffolk.

Asda in Meadow Centre, Wilkes Way, Stowmarket said that their suppliers

could not keep up with the demand while Woolworths in Hamilton Road,

Felixstowe also had none in stock.

However, there may be some hope for those who find the temperatures

unbearable.

Trevor Foster, branch manager of Bennett's in Martlesham Heath, was expecting an order of 200 fans this week, but does not expect them to last on the shelves for long. He said: "It has been absolutely crazy and we could have sold hundreds every day.

"One order of 90 fans came in and was gone in two days. The best advice I can give is just to be persistent, we will be getting more in, but we cannot take bookings, it is first come first served.

"It is usually a high demand for fans but this is the biggest demand there has been and I have been here for 15 years.

"People have just had enough with suffering in the heat. We are looking all over the world to find where we can get them from."

"Another problem is people buying in bulk. They are not buying one, they are buying five."

Curry's in Woodbridge is expecting another delivery later in the week but is not sure of how many.

Store manager Mike Seabourne said: "We got two boxes last Friday but they sold out by 5pm. Stocks are extremely tight all round the whole of Woodbridge and in the last few weeks it has gone ballistic."