HEREFORDSHIRE'S shops reported a busy start to the sales, with customers eager to grab some post-Christmas bargains.

Cold weather, traffic buildups and the lure of the internet failed to keep shoppers away from the county's stores.

The city's branch of Next, like others around the country, opened at 5am last Thursday with more than 200 people queuing outside the Maylord Shopping Centre waiting to snap up the best offers.

Staff said it was the busiest start to a sale at the store for almost four years.

* For full story see this week's Hereford Times.