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| Black Friday: Police called to stores across Britain amid crowding fears | Black Friday: Police called to stores across Britain amid crowding fears |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police were called in to deal with crowd surges and 'customer conduct' as hundreds rushed to bag a bargain on Black Friday. | Police were called in to deal with crowd surges and 'customer conduct' as hundreds rushed to bag a bargain on Black Friday. |
| Officers attended shops after staff, and some members of the public, raised concerns over the volume of people attending the sales. | |
| A number of shops opened at midnight, boasting massive discounts on a range of goods. | A number of shops opened at midnight, boasting massive discounts on a range of goods. |
| Police were called to four supermarkets in London as people gathered at Tesco stores in Edmonton, Willesden and Surrey Quays and an Asda in Capital Way, Edgeware. | Police were called to four supermarkets in London as people gathered at Tesco stores in Edmonton, Willesden and Surrey Quays and an Asda in Capital Way, Edgeware. |
| Scotland Yard said in a statement: “Officers have worked with store staff to ensure that sale-goers were able to enter and exit the stores safely. | Scotland Yard said in a statement: “Officers have worked with store staff to ensure that sale-goers were able to enter and exit the stores safely. |
| “No persons have been injured at any of the locations as a result of the overcrowding.” | “No persons have been injured at any of the locations as a result of the overcrowding.” |
| They said no arrests had been made and officers were preparing to “withdraw” from the locations in the early hours of this morning. | They said no arrests had been made and officers were preparing to “withdraw” from the locations in the early hours of this morning. |
| South Wales Police also reported receiving a number of calls from staff at Tesco stores after they became “concerned due to the volume of people who had turned up to sale events”. | South Wales Police also reported receiving a number of calls from staff at Tesco stores after they became “concerned due to the volume of people who had turned up to sale events”. |
| Officers attended a store on Excelsior Road in Cardiff twice after midnight over concerns about “customer conduct”, police said. | Officers attended a store on Excelsior Road in Cardiff twice after midnight over concerns about “customer conduct”, police said. |
| No arrests were made and police said they had advised management at the stores to prevent further issues. | No arrests were made and police said they had advised management at the stores to prevent further issues. |
| Elsewhere shoppers described scenes of “carnage” as people scrambled for the best deals. | Elsewhere shoppers described scenes of “carnage” as people scrambled for the best deals. |
| One person who bagged a coffee machine at a knock-down price tweeted: “After the absolute carnage that is black Friday in a tesco extra in the North of England, I walked away with a £100 coffee machine for £30.” | One person who bagged a coffee machine at a knock-down price tweeted: “After the absolute carnage that is black Friday in a tesco extra in the North of England, I walked away with a £100 coffee machine for £30.” |
| Online customers also faced queues as websites dealt with heavy traffic. | Online customers also faced queues as websites dealt with heavy traffic. |
| One person tweeted shortly after midnight: “There's a 37 minute wait to access Currys & a queue to enter Tesco Direct.” | One person tweeted shortly after midnight: “There's a 37 minute wait to access Currys & a queue to enter Tesco Direct.” |
| Additional reporting by PA | Additional reporting by PA |