Retailers have enjoyed bumper sales with one department store clocking up record figures.

Selfridges saw its best Boxing Day yet with a 10% rise on last year, and by 1pm menswear in the London store had taken more than £1 million.

The Oxford Street branch said it expected to attract around 150,000 shoppers on Saturday, and thousands more went to branches in Birmingham and Manchester.

Stewards were employed to keep crowds under control in London, with a separate queue for customers hoping to buy Gucci at discount prices.

Bargain-hungry shoppers queued from the early hours at centres across the country for their chance to bag discounts. Capital Shopping Centres (CSC), which owns 14 shopping sites across the country, said it was expecting busy days over the weekend.

Commercial director Trevor Pereira said: "Customers have been flooding through our 14 centres' doors from the early hours today. Shoppers have been planning their sale purchases before the VAT hike comes into effect, and as a consequence we are extremely busy.

"Retailers are experiencing high demand for laptops, TVs, mobile phones and home-wares. Winter coats, cocktail dresses, cashmere cardigans and jumpers and winter boots are also proving popular sales items."

The Bullring in Birmingham saw thousands of shoppers queuing outside from 4am, with more than 9,000 passing through in the following five hours. A designer handbag sale at Selfridges sold out in 10 minutes, and Next attracted more than 4,500 customers before 7.30am.

General manager Tim Walley said: "Throughout the day over 200,000 people visited Bullring and a further 150,000 are expected tomorrow (Sunday). Due to this year's Boxing Day falling on a Saturday, Next has opened its doors a day earlier than usual.

"We are expecting a further 200,000 visitors on Bank Holiday Monday, with the same expected the following day as shoppers take advantage of the last few days before the VAT increase on January 1."