Early Start For Bargain Hunters

Bargain hunters queued outside stores from 4.30am today as retailers enjoyed one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

By midday thousands of people had flocked to shopping malls and the High Street to cash in on the Boxing Day sales.

Consumers braved icy temperatures to pick up cut-price gadgets, toys and clothes across Scottish stores, with extra staff and security brought in to deal with the crowds.

Gary Turnbull, manager at intuBraehead in Glasgow, said: "Quite a few of the shoppers would have been gold medal contenders at this summer's Commonwealth Games when you saw the speed of them dashing up the mall.

"People were driving into our car parks and queuing up as early as 4.30am waiting for the first stores to open at 6am."

Ian McLelland, director of the EK centre in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, said: "Boxing Day has yet again proved to be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

"Retailers may have launched their festive sales earlier in December but that hasn't deterred bargain hunters today."

Hundreds of people formed a line outside Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh from 8am ahead of the luxury department store's 10am opening.

Princes Street, the capital's main shopping thoroughfare, was packed with shoppers by noon.

Ryan Manson, manager at Union Square in Aberdeen, said: "Traditionally when people talk about Boxing Day sales they think of clothes but now that extends to gadgets, phones, homeware and toys, so if Santa forgot something you wanted or he gave you some cash, it's a great way to get more for your money."

David Pierotti, manager of Silverburn in Glasgow, said: "It's tradition for Boxing Day to offer some fantastic deals and our customers have been snapping them up since Next opened at 6am, followed by Debenhams at 7am."