MORE than 35,000 eager shoppers visited Bolton's Market Place centre on the first day of Sunday trading as the festive countdown got underway.

The figure was revealed as delighted town centre bosses predicted a bumper Christmas shopping season.

Bolton town centre manager Maria Appleton said: "It was an excellent start to Sunday trading in Bolton. There were about 35,000 shoppers in the Market Place alone."

Delighted staff at many major stores reported trade up by as much as 70 per cent on the same time last year.

Mrs Appleton said: "I'm sure things can get even better now, with the new Marks and Spencer and the new Boots in the Gates centre joining in the Sunday trading from this weekend."

She added: "There is also good news for disabled shoppers. From this Sunday until Christmas Bolton's Shopmobility scheme will be operating on Sundays."

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