PA
Thousands of people hit the high street in England on the first Saturday since the second national lockdown was lifted.
Hordes of people could be seen filling up town centres in places such as York, Colchester and Bournemouth – as families scouted for deals during their Christmas shop.
Queues formed along London’s Oxford Street as shoppers made the most of the relaxed Covid-19 restrictions under the new tiering system, which came into force on Wednesday.
Joining them was London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who took the time to take selfies with people at the popular shopping destination.
He said: “It’s quite clear speaking to shopkeepers, businesses and those in retail, they’ve had a horrendous nine months, they’re keen to make sure this golden month and this golden quarter they can make up some of the ground lost.
“They’ve seen the collapse of international tourism, the collapse of domestic tourism, and that’s why they really need our support.
“Unless we support our shops we can’t be surprised if, due to a combination of Covid and lack of business, shops close and people lose their jobs.”
But concerns over safety have been raised as crowds gathered outside popular shops and along narrow streets.
Here’s a selection of pictures from London:
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