ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

The Met Police have urged hungry KFC fans not to call them asking for emergency assistance over the fast food chain’s chicken shortage.

Officers in Tower Hamlets were forced to say the so-called “crisis” is not a police matter after scores of London outlets were forced to close when they ran out of chicken.

The closures, which are expected to last for the rest of the week while KFC battles the shortage, sparked panic among chicken fans.

Amid the chaos, the east London police unit wrote on its Twitter page on Tuesday: “Please do not contact us about the #KFCCrisis - it is not a police matter if your favourite eatery is not serving the menu that you desire."

Scotland Yard said it receives more than 14,5000 calls every weekday, and that it is undergoing a continued drive to reduce improper use of 999 calls.

It comes after more than 500 branches of the restaurant remained closed today after it was revealed the Colonel had “run out of chicken” due to supply issues.

KFC told the Standard that some stores were expected to remain shut "for the remainder of the week".

Londoners disappointed that their local KFC had closed have also been contacting their MPs to vent their outrage at what has been dubbed “the great 2018 chicken drought”.

Neil Coyle, Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, said he had been contacted by some of his constituents about the chicken shortage the chain suffered.

He wrote on Twitter yesterday: “I've been contacted by disappointed #KFC customers on Borough High St #SE1 & Walworth Rd #SE17 today.”

Closures have been reported all over the capital, with many fast food fans taking to Twitter to vent their outrage after discovering they could not get their local store was affected by the massive outage.

KFC would not confirm which of its stores remained closed but only 20 of its many London branches appeared to be open on Monday, according to a list on the chain’s website.

Until last Tuesday the company’s chicken was delivered to its UK stores by South African-owned distribution group Bidvest.

The firm said the recent change of contract caused “teething problems”, which led to the widespread chicken shortage.

The fast food giant has about 900 restaurants in Britain, with more than 80 per cent of them run as franchises.

As well as in London and the South East, closures have been reported in areas including the Midlands, East Anglia, the North East and Wales.

In statement the Met said of the calls relating to the chicken shortage: "The Met's call centres currently receive more than 14,500 calls every weekday.

"The Met is continuing its drive - including the use of its social media channels - to reduce improper use of the 999 and 101 numbers."