Some residents and business owners in Nice are furious that Irish rock star Bono and other celebrities were rescued first during the Bastille Day massacre last week even though the restaurant they were in was a half mile away.

ISIS thug Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel ran over and killed 84 civilians driving a large white truck. Eighty more are still in hospital with 18 badly injured.

Thirty anti-terrorist police rushed to get Bono, celebrity chef Alain Ducasse and several local notables, including the former Mayor of Nice, from the La Petite Maison restaurant near the waterfront and they were rushed to safety by the police.

The restaurant is hugely exclusive and charges $450 for 25 grams of caviar.

A nearby shopkeeper said the restaurant was a popular celebrity haunt and Bono was regularly seen there.

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However, local residents have expressed anger that celebrities seemed to take precedence over ordinary people who were injured, saying it was a “ridiculous” use of resources. Paulo Mendes, 46, the manager of a souvenir shop next door to the restaurant, said: "It is ridiculous that Bono was rescued by police."

He told the UK's Daily Telegraph that police were badly needed a half mile away at the scene of the carnage where thousands of distraught people were fleeing for safety.

"There was panic everywhere in the town," he said. "I don't care if it's Michael Jackson, Bono or Barack Obama. The police should not help one person just because he is a celebrity. Everyone is equal."

When the owner of the restaurant Bono was in saw the people fleeing she locked the restaurant and pulled down the shutters and told everyone to hide.

"Suddenly I saw people running, without shouting," said Anne-Laure Rubi, the owner.

"It took around half an hour for the police to get us out," said a diner. "Like everybody else, Bono had to put his hands on his head, and was told to remain calm.

"It was a silent panic – it was extraordinary."

"The police were clearly very worried that terrorists might still be at large, and everybody was under suspicion."

It was a second close shave for the Irish rock legend. Bono and U2 were due to play in Paris the night of the Bataclan massacre last year.

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