A PUB near Malvern is being temporarily closed after staff received "abusive phone calls" following the confirmation of coronavirus cases among staff.

Two workers at The Inn at Welland had tested positive for coronavirus, along with a customer - it was revealed on September 5.

Worcestershire County Council confirmed the staff members worked in a group of five the previous weekend, and were all to self-isolate for 14 days.

Since then, the pub’s management said they have received abusive phone calls, leaving them no choice but to close until September 16.

This, they say, will allow them to put in extra safety measures and cleaning procedures in preparation for re-opening.

In a statement on the pub’s website, they said: “David and Gillian have decided to close the business until Wednesday, September 16, to protect the safety and wellbeing of our loyal staff.

“Unfortunately, we’ve received several abusive calls over the past couple of days, which has led to us taking this action.We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to send us positive messages of support and best wishes.

“In the coming days, we’ll be adding further elements to our existing stringent cleaning procedures on our premises. When we reopen, all staff will be required to wear masks or visors at all times to ensure their protection.

“Customers will also be temperature checked on arrival and must wear a mask when they move around the restaurant. We thank Public Health England for their continued advice and support. We look forward to welcoming you back to The Inn soon.”

When the cases were confirmed, Worcestershire County Council said the pub had “stringent” covid-19 measures in place for both staff and customers and was fully co-operating with environmental health teams.

Dr Kathryn Cobain, director of public health for Worcestershire, said: “Our teams have quickly identified the positive cases and have acted promptly to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading.

“The Inn at Welland is already operating under robust Covid-19 procedures and we will continue to support the business to remain open and to keep customers and staff safe. Covid-19 is in our communities, and none of us should be complacent.

“It is always important to wash our hands, use face coverings where necessary and keep our distance.It is particularly important that if you have a symptom of Covid-19, you self-isolate. This all helps to prevent the virus spreading.”