Council, health body and tourist board urge people to stay away but roads from London to the south-west were busy on Friday

Ruth Squire, the manager of the Spar shop in the Cornish surfing resort of Polzeath, was bracing herself for a storm.

“We know the out-of-towners are heading for their second homes and I’m concerned the pressure is going to be huge,” she said. “I worry most about the locals, especially the elderly ones. I’ve told them to ring and we’ll take anything out to them – supplies, their newspaper, whatever they need.”

Squire is already taking drastic action. She pointed to the empty shelves where the toilet rolls should have been piled. “I do have some in the back but I’m keeping them for the locals. They’re my priority,” she said.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ruth Squire, manager of the local Spar, Polzeath: ‘I worry most about the locals.’ Photograph: Jim Wileman/The Guardian

Such are the growing fears that the far south-west of Britain will be over-run by people seeking sanctuary from London and other cities that on Friday Cornwall council, Public Health Cornwall and the tourist board, Visit Cornwall, urged people to stay away.

In a joint statement they said: “Cornwall prides itself on being an open and welcoming place, but during these unprecedented times we ask that anyone planning a trip to Cornwall consider deferring their visit and avoid all but essential travel.”

Cornwall Council (@CornwallCouncil) Cornwall prides itself on being an open and welcoming place, but during these unprecedented times we ask that anyone planning a trip to Cornwall consider deferring their visit and avoid all but essential travel 👉 https://t.co/0cu3q23cYU pic.twitter.com/uRfivIr3Yz

The organisations said they knew tourism businesses were closing and people in the industry were losing their jobs. But they added: “We are also aware that additional visitors to Cornwall at this time will potentially put extra pressure on public services, including the NHS.”

The leader of the council, Julian German, and the Tory St Austell and Newquay MP, Steve Double, wrote an open letter reinforcing the message.

Steve Double MP (@stevedouble) Along with Cllr Julian German, Leader of @CornwallCouncil, I have written an open letter to people considering coming on holiday to #Cornwall in the coming days. #Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/QPuNsG9NVj

“We need to stop the spread of this virus and also need to protect our NHS and keep our supermarket shelves stocked,” they said. “An influx of thousands of tourists in the coming weeks will put unnecessary pressure on our services.”

But by the time statements were published, Polzeath beach was busy. A group of professional rugby players from London were playing cricket, their game interrupted from time to time by out-of-town surfers heading into the waves.

A steady stream of Range Rovers and people carriers arrived loaded with dogs and children. The routes into the county, the M5 and A303, grew busier as Friday wore on and the hazy sunshine grew warmer.

Londoners Will, a film-maker, and chocolatier Catherine were staying in a holiday flat. “It’s better than being in west London,” said Will. “We were only going to be here for a few days but may stay longer. It’s a good place to isolate. There’s more on the supermarket shelves here too.”

University students Megan, Jack and Amelia, have been sent home from colleges in Plymouth and Cambridge and are staying in a house next to the beach. “We won’t be a risk to anyone,” said Jack. “We’re just going to go from the house to the surf and back again.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Students Jack, Megan and Amelia on the beach at Polzeath. Photograph: Jim Wileman/The Guardian

Jo, an office worker from Bath, had packed up her family and driven to their holiday home on Friday morning. “I’ve got severe asthma so I think it’s better for me and society at large if I get to somewhere safer,” she said. “We’ll try not to be a burden.”

At TJ’s surf hire shop, manager Chris Pearson was wearing a mask and gloves – but so he could work on a board safely rather than because of the virus. He is campaigning for the shaka – the surfer’s hand gesture – to be used rather than a handshake. “That would be much safer – and cooler, actually,” he said.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Chris Pearson demonstrates the shaka - ‘cooler than a handshake’. Photograph: Jim Wileman/The Guardian

The Wavehunters surf school is putting on surf lessons next week for children – both locals and visitors. It is not cashing in – but offering the lessons at cut-price rates to try to help keep youngsters busy and fit.

Manager Ralph Walton said a beach was a good place to ride out the crisis. “Some people are saying they don’t want people here but it’s a double-edged sword. The businesses need people to come.”