Some opted to brave the icy conditions for a traditional country walk.

Some just turned up the heating and settled down for a day on the sofa.

But for thousands of Essex residents, a brace of post-Christmas bank holidays meant only one thing shopping!

With the last-minute present-buying rush behind them, bargain-hunters hit the stores all over again as traders slashed prices by up to 70 per cent.

In Colchester, businesses were doing a roaring trade yesterday as families flocked into town to seek out the best deals.

Nick Clarke, Debenhams' manager and chairman of the town's retailers' association, said: "We had a very busy morning. We opened at 7am and there were already people queuing outside.

"It was quieter when we opened at 10am on Boxing Day, but you expect that so close to Christmas.

"Not everyone wants to spend their bank holiday shopping, but people know they can save so much money. I think some of them quite like the hustle and bustle and fighting their way through the crowds, but it is the joy of saving money which makes it all worthwhile."

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Published Tuesday, December 28, 2004

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