HAMPSHIRE has been hit by a biscuit shortage after flooding hit production at a key factory which supplies the county.

Some of Britain’s best-loved biscuits are missing from supermarket shelves after the recent flooding in Carlisle.

The out-of-town Sainsbury's in Andover has erected notices on its empty shelves which read: "We regret that the recent flooding in Carlisle has affected one of our biscuit suppliers and we are currently experiencing supply shortages".

The flood damage has halted production of Carr’s water biscuits. A variety of other favourite names usually produced at the site have also been hit, including McVitie’s ginger nuts, Crawford’s custard creams and Crawford’s shortcake.

Several supermarkets said they were already running low on stocks of ginger nuts and some have already sold out of Carr’s water biscuits.

The factory in Caldewgate was inundated with 5ft of floodwater on 6 December.

Owner United Biscuits said it would take several months to restart the brick ovens which give its water biscuits their distinctive taste and crunch.

It said it had been unable to find alternative facilities elsewhere in the country to pick up production.

The biscuit manufacturer has placed newspaper adverts headed: “Flooding in water biscuit factory. Oh the irony.”

The ad said the factory had suffered significant damage and the heavy rain had “taken its toll on our community”.