“Desperate bargain hunters braved a night in the cold and rain to make sure they were first in line at the start of Britain’s £3.74billion blitz on Boxing Day sales.

An estimated 30 million shoppers are expected to hit the high street today, spending £150 each on cut price goods.

Most will head out this afternoon, but for thousands of shopping addicts their sale-seeking shift got under way in the middle of the night.”