Pensioner spends Christmas in queue for sale

Bargain hunter Brenda Adams set up a camping chair outside Silcox Son & Wicks in Bath at 4.30pm on Christmas Eve.

The 75-year-old waited until 9am Wednesday to pick up a chest of drawers reduced from £200 to £10 for her 20-year-old grandson Joshua. She said: “By my stage of life you’ve seen every type of Christmas going: happy ones, sad ones, interesting ones and boring ones. I just wanted to do something different. I’m not interested in just sitting around being fed and watered. I like to experience new things.”

The widow attached a laminated note to her chair laying claim to the first spot in the queue.

During her wait, the retired midwife slept in her car, parked a few yards away.

She said: “It’s been a wonderful experience. There have been a few small incidents but on the whole everyone has been so kind.”

The mother-of-two had her walking stick stolen by a partygoer but said that was all just part of life.

When the doors finally opened, Mrs Adams was joined by about 50 others. She snapped up the drawers and was out the shop again within 10 minutes.

Mrs Adams added: “All the staff inside were lovely. It has been a lovely festive period.”