A DISTILLERY near Salisbury will not continue giving out free hand sanitiser until later this month, as supply chains are "straining under pressure".

Following the coronavirus outbreak, Downton Distillery announced it would be giving out free sanitiser to residents at collection points throughout April, to help those in need and keep the community safe.

Due to demand however, the team has had to withdraw the original distribution dates to give time to find more supplies.

The distillery currently needs hydrogen peroxide, and as a result there is currently no hand sanitiser in stock.

On the Downton Distillery website it says: "The supply chain that normally supplies the chemicals required for hand sanitiser is now straining under pressure. The required volumes being demanded outstrips supply. Lead times are extending and shifting outwards into the middle of April.

"I am working hard in identifying new partners who can help us meet the demand and produce the much-needed supplies for our communities, care homes and front-line services."

An online fundraising page was also set up in a bid to raise £20,000, which will be used in the future to buy supplies in bulk and create 10,000 litres of hand sanitiser. The current total is around £5,400.

For further information and collection updates visit the distillery's dedicated Covid-19 page.