ROUND-the-clock shopping is set to start in East Lancashire.

Tesco today unveiled plans to open its main Blackburn store on Hill Street 24 hours a day during the week in a move which will create an extra 30 jobs.

Tesco first introduced 24 hour shopping in 1996, mainly at stores in the south.

But the firm said it has been so successful elsewhere that it is now rolling it out across the country.

Around 12 per cent of customers who use 24 hour stores now do their shopping between midnight and 6am.

Tesco research has found that among the main groups of customers taking advantage of the quieter atmosphere after dark were doctors, nurses, police officers, milkmen and lorry drivers.

The store will close at 10pm on Saturday and will be open 10am to 4pm on Sundays because of trading laws.

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