Sunderland stores are expected to be jammed today for what is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year.

Hundreds of customers swamped Next, at The Bridges, when the shutters went up for the half-price sale at 7am.

Waiting in the line was 61-year-old Margaret Adams, of Shaftoe Road, Springwell, who was ready for a major shopping spree with her daughter, Dawn Laybourn, 36, and grandaughter Megan, 12.

Margaret, who teaches line dancing at the Tansy Centre, South Hylton, said: "We are going to go into Next and then to Debenhams for the sales and then we could go into Newcastle.

"I'm not looking for anything specific, just to see what we can find.
"I didn't come last year, but the year before the shops opened at 5am and I was there at a quarter to."

Megan, a pupil at St Anthony's School and Dawn, a student at Shiney Row College, were determined to spend all their Christmas present money in the shops.

Debenhams also opened at 7am for what it has called its "biggest ever sale," although some goods went for sale online from Christmas Eve.

Customers shopping online were able to get their hands on discounts two days early via the department store's website.

Stores across the county opened early to bargain-savvy shoppers.

Selfridges branches in Birmingham and Manchester began trading at 8am and the London flagship opened at 9am.

With Boxing Day falling on a Saturday retailers expected this to be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

TV presenter and actress Amanda Holden was due to open the Harrods sale at 10am, accompanied by children from Great Ormond Street, as the Knightsbridge store has committed to raising £300,000 for the hospital.