Preppers In A Spin Over Ebola Armageddon

Imagine this... Ebola has broken out in the UK, there's rioting in the streets and food is scarce.

Well that's the scenario Luke Edwards plays out in his YouTube video on how to survive an Ebola pandemic. It lasts almost 20 minutes and has received over 15,000 hits.

Luke is what is known as a prepper - a member of a rapidly growing community in the UK, who as the name suggests, are prepared for all kinds of different catastrophes whether it be flooding, disease, a terrorist attack or the collapse of society.

The 44-year-old construction worker from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, has spent more than £2,000 on survival gear - including a gas mask and biohazard suit for himself and his wife.

He told Sky News he wants to ensure they both stand the best possible chance if the worst happens.

"It's maybe a lack of faith in the ability of others," he said. "I'd rather have myself deal with the things that I need to keep myself and my wife in comfort."

And Luke is by no means alone. There are thousands of preppers in the UK who are alert to all sorts of eventualities.

Lincoln Miles, 21, is one of them - he's opened the first shop in the UK dedicated to meeting the demands of preppers.

It stocks all sorts of equipment and has been inundated with interest.

Experts from Public Health England, however, want to make sure people are guided by facts and not fear when it comes to the threat of Ebola.

"We don't have any cases of Ebola in this country, they are in West Africa'" says Dr Gina Radford. "It's also a hard disease to catch. It is not like the flu."

Despite these reassurances Luke isn't taking any chances. He has about six weeks' worth of dry food supplies at home and keeps survival rucksacks in various locations if he's forced to "bug out" outside.

He admits he's often the butt of his friends' jokes, but says if civilisation does collapse, he'll be the one having the last laugh.