SHOP tills continued to ring across the North-East as the hunt for post-Christmas bargains gathered pace.

Sales that began on Boxing Day or Monday drew big crowds again yesterday, the first "normal'' day since last week.

With many people off for the full week because of Christmas falling on the weekend, shopping centres have proved a big attraction, despite pre-Christmas fears that consumers were hanging onto their money.

The MetroCentre in Gateshead, Europe's biggest shopping complex, attracted 63,000 people on Boxing Day despite having only limited opening. Jane Holmes, the centre's public relations and promotions manager, said that 121,000 and 119,000 shoppers visited the complex on Monday and Tuesday.

By early yesterday afternoon, 78,000 people had been through its doors in search of a bargain.

"There is still very much a sales atmosphere here and the sales have started with a vengeance," said Ms Holmes.

"We don't tend to follow the national trend here in the North-East and we are about four per cent up on last year in terms of numbers coming in.

"The majority of traders seem to be very pleased with the way things are going.''

The Mall, in Middlesbrough - formerly known as The Cleveland Centre - had recorded 54,918 visitors by about 5pm.

"It is fairly high but it is not as busy as I thought it would be," said manager David Ward.

The Cornmill Centre, in Darlington, attracted 54,000 people in total on Monday and Tuesday and hit the 23,000 mark yesterday afternoon.

"People are continuing to shop," said deputy manager Susan Young.

"Some of the shops in the centre are doing better than the shops in bigger places.

"We are very pleased with the way things have gone."

A spokesman for the Prince Bishops Centre, in Durham City, said: "We are doing very well. There are quite a few people in and the tenants have said they have been busy."