ALL McDonald's restaurants in the UK and Ireland will close by 7pm on Monday at the latest to protect the safety of their employees and customers, the company has said.

A statement posted to Twitter read: "We have taken the difficult decision to close all McDonald's restaurants in the UK and Ireland by 7pm on Monday 23rd March at the latest.

"This is not a decision we are taking lightly, but one made with the well-being and safety of our employees in mind, as well as in the best interests of our customers.

"We will work with local community groups to responsibly distribute food and drink from our restaurants in the coming days.

"Thank you to our brilliant employees for their hard work during this incredibly challenging time.

"We look forward to seeing you all again as soon as it is safe for us to reopen."