BARGAIN hunters were queuing up in Worcester as early as 4am this morning as post-Christmas sales hit the city.

Major High Street store Next was holding its highly anticipated post-Christmas sale with doors opening from 5am to 8pm.

Up to 500 people were expected to be queuing outside the store in Cathedral Plaza for the pre-dawn opening.

Marks and Spencer was also preparing for hundreds of shoppers to pass through its doors from 7.30am.

John Kendrick, Cathedral Plaza centre manager, said so far sales had been good but not spectacular this Christmas. However, today was set to be one of the busiest days of the year for Worcester traders.

He said: "Next is opening at 5am and there will be 400 to 500 people queueing outside beforehand.

"It is one of the few companies that still has genuine sales and shoppers are able to get real bargains.

"It is one of the stores with enough confidence to hold its sale until after Christmas."

Meanwhile, CrownGate shopping centre reported an extra 13,500 had been through its stores compared to last year as Worcester bucked fears of a Christmas washout on the high street.

Centre manager Carolyn Mantle said with the majority of sales starting today, the centre was expecting another positive period.

Tina Wooton-Porter, deputy manager at New Look in CrownGate, said Christmas trade had been excellent.

She said: "The run-up to Christmas has been great for New Look. We've been exceptionally busy and we're delighted with the number of shoppers coming through our doors."

Kerry Adams, superviser at men's clothes shop The Officers Club, in High Street, said trade at the weekend was "crazy".

"It was just mental and I think today is going to be really busy again," she said.

Patricia Healey, the product manager at River Island, said the crowd outside the store at 10am on Boxing Day was so large she struggled to get to the door to open it.

"It was unexpected but really good as we don't normally open on Boxing Day."

Richard Duce, assistant manager of JJB Sports in Cathedral Plaza, was also pleased with the number of people coming through the door yesterday. He said: "We've been busy since we opened and it's nice to see."

In a battle with the internet many shops, like JJB Sports, now offer pre-Christmas sales. Mr Duce said its sale, with up to 70 per cent off some items, began a fortnight before Christmas and more items would be reduced into the new year.

A recent survey by the Confederation of British Industry suggested the Christmas sales would not be a flop for retailers, as some previously feared.

The bosses' organisation predictedconsumer spending in December would reach £33bn, up by 2.8 per cent from last year.