Hundreds of excited shoppers besieged Shropshire supermarkets from 4am today to get their hands on this year’s must-have accessory – a designer shopping bag.

The limited edition bags, which have sold on eBay for up to £175, went on sale at Sainsbury’s stores across the county at 8am.

Crowds of people queued from as early as 4am to snap up the £5 bags, which bear the slogan “I’m not a plastic bag”.

Designed by Anya Hindmarch, the bags have been produced as a trendy alternative to using throw-away carrier bags.

The Sainsbury’s store at Meole Brace Retail Park in Shrewsbury saw dozens of shoppers queuing for the 90 bags on sale.

Lisa Miller, the store spokeswoman, said: “There were a few people queuing from Aberystwyth from 4am this morning.

“The store opened at 7am and the 90 tickets were all handed out by about 7.40am. As soon as 8am came the 90 people with tickets were able to claim their bags. We have had a lot of phone calls since but they have all gone.”

Bridgnorth Sainsbury’s employed extra security to keep expectant shoppers at bay this morning as just 30 bags went on sale at 8am.

At the head of the queue was 17-year-old Christina Thompson, of Bridgnorth, who had been there since 5am.

She said: “I think the bags are popular because they are a limited edition. And they’re really pretty and made by a top designer.”

The Sainsbury’s Local store, on Forge Retail Park in Telford, also had 30 of the bags to sell and bosses beefed up security to make sure everything ran smoothly.

Crowds of people were waiting outside Sainsbury’s in Oswestry from 7am.

The bag shot to fame after a host of celebrities were photographed carrying it.

It was developed with the ‘We Are What We Do’ movement in a bid to cut the number of plastic bags used in the UK.

Some 20,000 of the reusable cotton bags went on sale at 450 Sainsbury’s stores today.

Manager of the Bridgnorth store, Paul Cunnison, said he was pleased with how the morning went.

By Simon Alton