THE New Year sales have got off to a strong start in Lowestoft this week with hundreds of bargain hunters in the town.

Retailers have been delighted with the response of people in the Waveney area as it follows a good pre-Christmas trading period.

Stores in the Lowestoft area were supported in the run-up to the festive period by The Journal's Shop Local Campaign which encouraged people to use shops in the town and also offered an opportunity to win a prize of �1,000.

The lucky winner was 83-year-old Bernard Rudd, of Kingfisher Court, Lowestoft.

Simon Morris, store manager at the Westgate Department Store, London Road North, Lowestoft, was delighted with the start of the sale.

'We opened on Boxing Day with our sale and have been extremely busy ever since. It has been a great start to the sale and trading has been very strong indeed,' he said.

Mr Morris also reported that the store had enjoyed a successful trading period before Christmas.

'Like everyone else we had to accept there were days when the weather was so bad a lot of people did not turn out but overall we have been delighted with the response of our customers.

'I believe the weather helped us and other stores in the Lowestoft area because people were not prepared to drive to Ipswich, Norwich or other large centres and concentrated on shopping in their local town,' he said.

The January sales have also been well supported in other stores across the Lowestoft area, including Palmers department store, and other independent and national retailers.

Stores are offering discounts of 70pc and 50pc to tempt shoppers and there has been no shortage of bargain hunters.