Handcuffs sales up in Shrewsbury after Fifty Shades of Grey

Ann Summers, in the town's Darwin Shopping Centre, is reporting bumper trading during February with handcuffs, blindfolds, eye masks and other accessories flying off the shelves.

Store manager Danielle Richards said the double benefit of Valentine's Day combined with the release of the long-awaited film of the best-selling book by EL James was providing a boost. "This is one of our busiest times of the year because of Valentine's Day but the effect of 50 Shades of Grey is just adding to that," she said.

"Before Valentine's Day we find that we tend to see sales of romantic games and gifts going up but the Fifty Shades effect is seen more in the sales of blindfolds and hand cuffs."

The book, the first of three massive sellers by author EL James, was a publishing sensation when it came out in 2011 and the series has spawned sales of more than 100 million copies in 52 languages.

The film, starring relative unknowns Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, was released on Valentine's Day weekend, tells the story of an innocent graduate Anastasia Steele's growing infatuation with a billionaire businessman Christian Grey.

It has become the highest grossing 18-certificate film in the UK, taking £13.55 million in its opening weekend, and the ripple effect has included sales at top high street chain Ann Summers.

The sexy lingerie and adult toys store has seen sales rocket at Ann Summers with shoppers going for handcuffs, up 270 per cent and face masks up 200 per cent.

Kevin Lockwood, manager of the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centre, said: "It's amazing the effect that a popular film can have on sales and 50 Shades is certainly having a phenomenal effect on retail.

"Ann Summers are a massively popular brand with over 140 stores across the country and they have been trading successfully here in the Darwin Centre for several years and I'm sure they will be looking forward to the release of the movie's sequels."