YOU only have to step out of your door to realise why more people are travelling to warmer climates at this time of year.

And the borough's travel agents have enjoyed a bumper Christmas with many holidays being completely sold out.

Gary McKenna, sales consultant for the Radcliffe branch of PR Travel, said: "Although this time of the year is not as busy as the summer it is certainly getting that way. In the past five years we have noticed more and more people deciding to travel to warmer climates. You only have to look out of the window to see why.

"Most people have a break at this time of year so it is becoming more popular to make it into a proper holiday." The most popular destinations this year have been the Canaries and the Caribbean.

Manager of Top Gear Worldwide Choice in Holcombe Brook, Lorraine Cotrrell, said: "More mature couples booked well in advance simply because it is cheaper to get away by saving on bills and also to escape the winter blues and enjoy warm weather. Without a shadow of a doubt it is becoming more popular to travel abroad during the Christmas break."

But it is not just the elderly who are leaving the country. Michael Demartiis senior sales consultant for Lunn Poly said more families and young couples were travelling out of the country and not just to Europe but further afield.

"Demand for holidays is high at this time of year. We had some people travelling to New York to do some shopping and enjoy a break," he said.

And last minute deals are few and far between. The manager of Prestwich branch of Going Places, Julie Coyne, said they had sold nearly all their holidays to the Canaries well before the Christmas holiday.