OASIS fever hit the streets of Preston when a record shop opened it's doors at midnight to sell Britain's biggest band's new single.

Hundreds of fans flocked to HMV on Fishergate to get their hands on D'You Know What I Mean on July 7.

And 25-year-old Joanne Fiddler from Penwortham became the first Preston punter to get her hands on the record after queuing up from 4pm - an astonishing eight hours!

Joanne, who has to use a wheelchair because she suffers from arthritis, was joined in the queue by her husband John.

The publicity stunt came a week after HMV's first ever midnight opening to sell The Prodigy's new album and a shop spokesman said sales of both passed all expectations.

Manager Gary Porter said: "Opening late went down brilliantly. People were queuing right round the corner by midnight."

They are now bracing themselves for more late night openings with the release of Oasis's new album in August and The Spice Girls in November.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.