Store managers across Shropshire reported a “positive start” to the post Christmas sales boom with shoppers hitting the tills again after snow and bad weather kept many away.

The bank holiday saw queues of people gather outside Next in Shrewsbury while Debenhams and New Look in Telford both opened early to greet the crowds. There was a slow start for some shops in the county.

But trade picked up as bargain hunters began to thaw from the cold which kept them from counters in the run-up to Christmas.

Stores slashed prices yesterday with huge sales as major department stores including John Lewis and Harrods opened for the first time since Christmas.

Martin Purchase, store manager at Debenhams in Telford Shopping Centre, said the store and shopping centre were both busy.

He said: “It has been a positive start.” The store opened from 7am to 7pm yesterday and although the first couple of hours were “slow” trade picked up during the day.

Mr Purchase said he felt customers had come to shop because of the snow and bad weather before Christmas.

Telford Shopping Centre manager Chris Jones said yesterday was “extremely busy”, after a successful Sunday.

“Despite the buses not running, Sunday was an exceptionally busy day as families flocked to the centre for sales bargains, as well as to shake off the torpor of the previous day’s dinner,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Shrewsbury, Blacks outdoor clothing store reported a boost in sales compared to last year.

Sales assistant Ed Prit- chard said there had been a run on warm clothes with hats and gloves proving popular.

Magda Tomczykowska, manager of TK Maxx in the town’s Darwin Shopping Centre, said thousands of people ventured through the doors yesterday.

She said: “We stayed open until 5pm on the Monday and it was very busy. We have many bargains in the store and we saw goods sales on the reduced items.”

Andy Bell, manager of Lakeland in Mardol, said shoppers were cashing in on next year’s Christmas decorations. He said: “It was quieter earlier on yesterday, but it followed the usual pattern of getting much busier later in the day.”

By Sam Pinnington

Leah Hodgson, 12, and Mollie Beddoes, 14, from Lightmoor Village went shopping at Telford's Forge Retail Park