Castletown’s new Tesco Express store has been evacuated after a significant amount of white smoke or vapour wafted through the store.

The incident has occurred just hours after the red ribbon was cut and customers were welcomed into the Arbory Street store for its official opening.

A customer, who was in the store when it was evacuated, contacted our sister company Gef the Mongoose with videos and pictures of the incident as it happened.

They said that it came from the area of the tobacco/vape counter.

It’s currently unclear as to whether it’s a fire or just vapour, but videos show Tesco staff assisting customers in evacuating the building. The store only opened at 8am this morning after a refit when it took over Shoprite.

It is the first of nine new stores to open on the Isle of Man this year following Tesco’s acquisition of Shoprite. Gef has contacted Tesco for comment.