THE one time owner of a Premier League football club has arranged for thousands of face masks to be brought to hospitals in York and North Yorkshire.

Kevin McCabe, the former Sheffield United owner, has arranged for 30,000 face masks to be flown from China for use at hospitals in England.

He said the masks will be distributed in areas where he has personal and professional links including Sheffield, Leeds, York, Scarborough, Malton and Manchester.

Mr McCabe said he was "frustrated" after hearing some NHS workers were struggling to get the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need.

He said he used his business links to source the masks, which will be delivered from Hong Kong.

Mr McCabe said: "This is an unprecedented time for us all and it needs those of us who've got the reach to help everybody."

The Yorkshire businessman said he used his "people on the ground" in Hong Kong and nearby Shenzhen to get the masks.

"We're going to look after our own," Mr McCabe said. "It's where we live and work and enjoy so that's where we're going to try and help."

Mr McCabe said the first face masks should arrive "in few days" and "if there's cause to help more then we'll certainly do so".