Shoppers brave elements for 14-hours for annual Camp Hopson Christmas sale

Cut price luggage sets, a dining table and designer goods were among the 22 ‘one only’ items which had major reductions in both the Northbrook Street department store and the Camp Hopson furniture store.
Shortly before the doors opened at 9am, champagne was presented to the first person in the queue, Michelle Jefferies, of Didcot, who had been guarding her place since 5.45pm on Boxing Day for the KitchenAid Artisan food mixer which was reduced to £99 - a saving of £330.
Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News from the front of the queue, she said: “It was wet, cold, windy, freezing.
“This is my first year and I won’t be doing it again [but] I couldn’t justify spending £429 so to me it’s worth a bargain.”
Mrs Jefferies’ sister Zoe Collins, aged 21, joined her with her sights set on a Radley set including handbag, purse, umbrella and keyring, which was reduced from £203 to £19.
Justin Lakey, aged 22 of Newbury, had headed to the queue straight after his shift at Market Place restaurant La Tasca had finished at 9pm to bag himself a Mont Blanc Starwalker fountain pen - reduced from £360 to £39 - and headed straight back to work for another a six hour shift following the purchase.
“It was rough,” he said. “It was wet, windy, relentless weather.”
However, both praised two ladies - one of whom was named as Sam Stockwell – who headed to the high street in their pyjamas with offerings of hot tea, brandy and a breakfast of bananas and cornflakes in the middle of the night, after reading a comment on Facebook posted by Mrs Jefferies.
A Nimbus goose down duvet reduced from £480 to £25, saw Sharon Carter, aged 42 of Newbury, queue for more than 12-hours outside the Camp Hopson furniture store.
“It was absolutely freezing,” she said. “I stood out in the rain. It got to about 4.45am and a couple of people turned up. “
Just minutes before the doors to the main store opened, the managing director for retail, Andrew Riddle, said: “It’s really good, there seems to be quite a hype.
“The first person queued at 6pm, that’s quite amazing.
“I think people are really looking for a bargain.
“It’s a really cracking day for us.”