Sales off to storming start as bargains snapped up

The shopping storm came after the calm when some of the winter sales kicked off yesterday morning.

In a welcome turnaround for businesses from a pre-Christmas spending dip, bargain-hunters queued from 1.30am outside the likes of Next in Blackpool Retail Park in Cork to snap up heavily discounted clothes, homeware and other goods on sale when doors opened at 6am.

Staff at Brown Thomas in the city centre reported the longest post-Christmas sales queue for many years.