BARGAIN hunters headed to the Boxing Day sales in droves, creating lengthy queues at the tills and traffic jams on the roads.

Whitebirk's Peel Centre retail park proved popular, with many of the larger stores drastically reducing their prices to maintain profits after the Christmas rush.

Stores in East Lancashire town centres were also offering tantalising deals in a bid to entice more shoppers through their doors.

Woolworths has slashed many of the prices of electrical lines by up to 50per cent, and will run a toy sale for almost a month.

Debenhams also began its three-week sale yesterday.

Next's popular annual sale was due to start today.