Shopping fever hit Oxford yesterday as bargain hunters came out in force for the post-Christmas sales.

Car parks were full and shops packed with thousands of people as the traditional sales frenzy took hold.

Many retailers slashed their prices by up to 70 per cent in a bid to shift stock.

Colin Antrobus, manager of the Clarendon Centre, said: "It was almost as if there was no tomorrow and they had to spend everything today."

He said sales had got off to a good start on Boxing Day and Monday, adding: "The city was besieged with shoppers on a spending frenzy. It was almost verging on dangerous."

But Mr Antrobus said trade had not been as busy as expected before Christmas as shoppers held out for cut-price items.

Theresa Turner and husband Alex, of North Street, Islip, were weighed down with bags in both hands.

Mrs Turner, who was also shopping with her children, Max, 12, Bart, 11, and Skye, seven, said they had picked up some great bargains.

She said: "It has been really good and not as busy as I thought. We went to Milton Keynes on Monday and it was absolutely mad -- you could hardly move."

Katherine Cooper, accompanied by her five-year-old son Luke, of Bassett Road, Headington, Oxford, said: "I have got some good bargains."

Brendan Hattam, manager of the Westgate shopping centre, said trade was up on last year with shoppers reaching for their credit cards since the sales started on Boxing Day.

He said: "It has been incredibly busy. We have noticed in the last few years that the shops are just as busy after Christmas as before."

Alex Williams, a receptionist at Oxfordshire's outlet centre, Bicester Village, said shops had been full of bargain hunters.

She said: "We don't really have sales here as we are already a discount centre. What we have are further price reductions. It has been really busy."

Spending at the sales for the week nationally is expected to reach more than £5bn.