British shoppers see red as US shopping festival Black Friday debuts

British police officers were called to stores across the country yesterday as the "Black Friday" shopping frenzy imported from the United States brought surging crowds and fights over sharply discounted goods.

The day after the US Thanksgiving holiday, which falls on the fourth Thursday of November, is extravagantly promoted in the US as the start of the Christmas shopping season.

For the first time, most British retailers have fully embraced "Black Friday" promotions this year, both in store and online.

Police were called in to control crowds that had gathered overnight in London, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow, drawn by cheap televisions, kitchen goods and clothes. Three arrests were made at Tesco supermarket stores in Manchester and officers were called out to four others in the area.

"The events of last night were totally predictable and I am disappointed that stores did not have sufficient security staff on duty," Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Peter Fahy said.

Queues started forming at Asda's superstore in Wembley, north London, from 5am. "There was a fight in the queue in front of us," said shopper Kristina Butts, 44, who missed out on the Polaroid 40-inch television and Xbox bundle she was after.

One woman shopper on a mobility scooter drove away from the store shouting: "I will never do this again."