A SAINSBURY'S store has been evacuated following reports of people suffering "breathing difficulties."

Emergency services were alerted to an incident at the Sainsbury’s supermarket on High Street, Longbridge at around 10am this morning (Friday, May 20). 

Two people who were in the store have been taken to hospital. 

Several people had reported "feeling unwell", with apparent breathing difficulties.

Around 150 people were evacuated from the store. Fire crews are treating it as a 'Hazardous Substance' incident. 

Specialist officers are using air monitoring equipment inside the store to try to establish the cause of the incident.

A 50-metre cordon was put in place around the store and other premises within the cordon were also evacuated.

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: We were alerted at about 10am to reports that six people were suffering breathing problems.

"Officers attended and the store has been evacuated and people are also being cleared from other buildings in the area.

"The six patients are being treated by paramedics at the scene.

"We have specialist officers working with colleagues across the emergency services to establish exactly what has happened.

"A cordon has been put in place and we'd advise people to stay away from the area.

"Anyone who has been in the area and is feeling unwell should seek medical advice as a precaution".

A spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service said: "Two fire engines and one of our 4x4 Brigade Response vehicles responded, from Northfield and Kings Norton fire stations, together with a number of officers and colleagues from the police and ambulance services.

"The first crew was at the scene within three minutes of being mobilised.

"The store had been evacuated before we arrived".