SHOPPERS have lined up outside stores across Swindon in a bid to bag a bargain.

Next Home at Mannington Retail Park opened its doors at 6am.

Some shoppers had arrived two hours earlier. First in line was 24-year-old Bianca, from Stratton, who said she had been waiting from 4am: “We had a blanket in the car.” She was after lighting for her home, she said.

Samantha Clementson, 53, from Taw Hill, said: “My son and his girlfriend have just bought a house, so we’re after some bits and pieces for their home.

“We’ve been coming to the Boxing Day sales for years and years. When the kids were little it was brilliant; you could get the next season’s clothes for them.”

Cheney Manor woman Amanda, 30, said she was after a chair – spotted in Next a couple of weeks earlier. With many retailers, including John Lewis, beginning their Boxing Day sales a few days early online, Amanda said she had already been searching items on store websites.

But for Liz, 56, from Toothill, it was important stores didn’t disappear from the High Street in favour of selling online: “We like them and we want to make sure they stay there.” Visiting the Boxing Day sales every year was now a family tradition, she added.

Where to go in Swindon today for the Boxing Day sales

Swindon Designer Outlet, Kemble Drive – open 8am – 9pm. Some stores, including John Lewis, may be closed today.

Orbital Shopping Park, Thamesdown Drive – Next open from 6am, M&S open from 8.30am

Mannington Retail Park – Next Home open from 6am, Oak Furnitureland open from 9am, Cotswold Outdoor open from 11am

Greenbridge Retail Park – Currys/PC World open from 9am

Difficult year for retailers

Nationally, retailers have had a difficult year, with brands Toys R Us, Poundworld and Maplin all going under. In the two months running up to Christmas, retailers like Sports Direct warned of poor sales.

Even online stores have not been immune to the general fall in sales, with internet fashion giant ASOS issuing a profit warning earlier this month telling of a major fall in trading in November.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

The last few days before Christmas were frantic. Researchers Ipsos Retail Performance said 27.4 per cent more trips were made to non-food stores in the UK on Christmas Eve this year compared to last.

The number of shoppers in sportswear and outdoor leisure stores saw the largest gain on last year, up 44.1 per cent, followed by department and general variety stores, up 30.4 per cent.

Tim Denison, director of retail intelligence at Ipsos Retail Performance, said: "A busy Christmas Eve is a handy bonus for retailers this year, as shoppers headed to the stores to find those last-minute stocking fillers and to substitute for presents bought online that failed to arrive in time.

"Of course, opening hours were curtailed last year as Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday, but the week-on-week results speak for themselves: Christmas Eve delivered strong growth this year.

"The surge in shoppers to stores seen over the final few days before Christmas will give some solace to those in the sector, when they sit down to enjoy their roast turkeys today, after such a torrid year."