Bargain hunters out in force

Scores of shoppers yesterday descended upon Malta's popular shopping centres to try to bag a bargain on the first day of the January sales.

Shops, especially those selling clothes and footwear, slashed prices by up to 50 per cent for the traditional onslaught from shoppers. Many sported big banners on their windows to entice bargain hunters with the reductions.

Sales girls toiled away, folding clothes and putting them back on hangers. Some were clearly not enjoying the extra workload.

Valletta and Sliema were packed from early morning with shoppers, who made their way from one outlet to another with bulging plastic bags.

Children in pushchairs were parked in shop corners. Some just looked around in awe at the activity around them while others screamed at the top of their voice, adding to the din in the stores.

Meanwhile, the Park and Ride service was expectedly busy yesterday morning with more than 2,000 commuters carried from the Blata l-Bajda site to Valletta by midday, with another 700 carried between midday and 5.45 p.m. Joe Theuma, who manages the car park, said the number of vans had to be increased because of the workload. About 1,200 passengers are usually ferried to Valletta by midday on a Tuesday, Mr Theuma said.