CUSTOMERS packed out Woolworths across the region today as the ailing retailer begins a closing down sale.

CUSTOMERS packed out Woolworths across the region today as the ailing retailer begins a closing down sale.

Christmas shoppers descended on the chain's Carr Street store in Ipswich in droves to take advantage of what could be some hefty price cuts for toys, entertainment and other items.

Dawn Skinner, 32, of Worcester Road, Ipswich, was one of the first to take advantage of the lowered prices.

She bought a Fireman Sam bike for £18, marked down from an original £40.

“I saw on the internet yesterday they were having a closing own sale and I'm always keen on bargains,” she said.

“I'm very happy with my purchase.”

At one stage, queues at the Bury St Edmunds branch of Woolworths stretched all the way from the tills at one end to the back of the shop.

The sale in Bury was just one of hundreds of closing down sales held at more than 800 branches of Woolworths across the country after the chain's administrator, Deloitte, revealed it had so far failed to find a buyer for the ailing retail giant.

One shopper in Bury, whose four-foot deep sale sack was bulging with bargains, said: “It is just manic in there. The queues go on forever. People are queuing up down the sides just to join the queues.”

But she added: “It is sad really. Once Woolworths goes there'll be a big empty space in Bury.”

Woolworths administrator Deloitte announced the sale yesterday after saying it had so far failed to find a buyer for the struggling firm.

Deloitte warned that some stores could close before the end of December if no offers for the business emerged.

The announcement has raised further concern over the future of staff employed by the high street chain.