Big discounts have lured people to town centres across the region in their droves which has led to a bumper start to the sales season.

The flood of shoppers mirrors the national situation which has seen a record number of people taking advantage of the reduced prices.

Dan Pickard, who is the director of Land Securities, which runs Corby's Willow Place, said: "It's been a fantastic few days for us and it's been really busy.

"Corby has not only been attracting people from the town, but also those from south Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

"We have an established shopping centre here now and it is much busier than last year."

In Wellingborough, shoppers queued outside of the Swansgate Centre before it opened on Boxing Day.

Centre manager Lindsay Tickner said: "It has been much busier than last year and it's been down to stores with some great sales on.

"People want to come into town, pick up a Christmas bargain and spend vouchers if they got them for Christmas."

Independent fashion store Chopper in Kettering has also been busy with shoppers.

Shop assistant Amanda Healy said: "We've been very busy, we haven't even been able to get all the stock out as we've been so busy. Most people have been buying trainers."

The manager at Kettering store Storm, Sean Evans, said: "We've got a sale on and things are going OK.

"I think it was busier last year but we've got people coming in and spending money.

"We opened on Boxing Day for the first time this year."

The number of shoppers on Britain's high streets has soared by 17.9 per cent compared with a year ago – the highest rise on record for December 27, according to market data firm Experian.

Kettering shopper Tamsin Cocks said: "I've been into Kettering a few times since Christmas looking for some good deals.

"A lot of the shops have got good deals if you're willing to spend time looking around."

Alan Austin, of Green Street, Wollaston, said: "I haven't been to the sales yet but I'm hoping to get to them. I usually buy winter coats in the sales and socks, things like that. I look in the shops in
Wellingborough, places like Peacocks or anywhere where they've got a sale on."

British Retail Consortium spokesman Richard Dodd said the fact Boxing Day had fallen on a Saturday and tough trading through 2009 meant more traders gave better discounts to attract shoppers.

He added: "It's been the strongest start to the post Christmas sales we have seen for a number of years – if not ever."