Boxing Day shoppers out in force

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Shoppers have been out in force across Scotland as retailers reported an increase in Boxing Day sales.

People were queuing from as early as 0400 GMT at one Edinburgh store.

Shopping centres in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen reported large numbers of people waiting when they opened their doors on Tuesday morning.

One of the escalators broke at the Harvey Nichols store in Edinburgh due to the sheer number of shoppers, according to a spokeswoman.

About 500 people were waiting outside when its doors opened at 1000 GMT.

'Going for it'

Spokeswoman Annette Lamb said: "We have had a fantastic start to the sale and are 17% up compared with the same day last year.

"Handbags were the thing the shoppers made for first but they are now moving up the building because there is hardly anything left on the ground floor. Everyone is absolutely going for it."

The capital's Gyle shopping centre was also "extremely busy" on the first day of the sales.

It has been said internet shopping has led to a downturn but we certainly have not seen that here Alison LightBon Accord St Nicholas Centre

In Glasgow, general manager Hamish Millar said things were "very lively" at the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre.

"There are some good deals to be had and it seems to be up there with previous Boxing Days," he said.

The number of shoppers at Braehead shopping centre was said to be up on last year.

General manager Peter Beagley said it had been "extremely busy", with people queuing outside Next when its doors opened at 0700 GMT.

Chris Grundy, centre manager at East Kilbride Shopping Centre, said an "unbelievable" number of shoppers had been through the doors.

Different labels

Alison Light, operations manager at the Bon Accord St Nicholas Centre in Aberdeen, expected that about 45,000 people would have passed through the doors during the day.

"Shoppers have been out in force looking to pick up a bargain," she said.

"People are buying lots of different labels and products - it is a real cross-section.

"It has been said internet shopping has led to a downturn but we certainly have not seen that here."