FORGET worries about the state of the economy.

If you had been at the NEXT store at Middlebrook very early last Saturday morning you would have seen hordes of (mainly female) shoppers demonstrating how to keep local retailers in business.

By 6.30am, there were a couple of hundred cars outside and a well-ordered mob inside snapping up the bargains.

It would have gladdened the money-men's hearts (if they had them) and proves once again that there is no more potent word in the English language than "Sale".